Effect of Liquid Biofertilizer Dose on Rice Productivity in Tidalswamp Lands of South Kalimantan

Abstract

The Indonesian government is continuously developing swampy land through Ministry of Agriculture to support the rice production increase program. Known as a low-cost and environmentally friendly, biofertilizer can be applied to increase the nutrient availability, reduce inorganic fertilizer use, improve the soil health and increase the rice production in a sustainable ways. The experimental aim is to test the dose of liquid biofertilizer, P-solubilizer, and N-fixer to increase rice productivity in tidal swamp lands. The experiment was conducted on November 2020 - Maret 2021 in Karang Buah, Belawang District, Barito Kuala Regency, South Kalimantan. The experiment design was RCBD with four replicates. The treatments were A. 300 kg/ha NPK+150 kg/ha Urea (recommended dose); B. 75 % of the recommended dose + Biofertilizer 2L/ha; C. 75 % of the recommended dose + Biofertilizer 4L/ha; D. 75 % of the recommended dose + Biofertilizer 6L/ha; and E. 75 % of the recommended dose + Biofertilizer 8L/ha. The research results showed that the use of liquid biofertilizer of up to 6L/ha in combination with 225 kg/ha NPK+ 112.5 kg/ha. Urea gave the highest grain yield (6.88 t/ha for tiles or 5.77 t/ha for plots) brought a yield increase of 0.57 t/ha (9.03%) for tiles or 0.45 t/ha (8.46%) for plots compared to the recommended dose treatment (300 kg/ha NPK + 150 kg/ha Urea). Liquid biofertilizer application 6L/ha could reduce the application of inorganic fertilizer by up to 25% of the recommended dose and can be used to eco-friendly yield boost up with low input costs reducing the continuous use of inorganic chemical fertilizer.