Land suitable areas refer to red potato planted on medium altitude in Rejang Lebong Bengkulu Province Indonesia

Abstract

The research aims to define potential areas for red potato cultivation in agriculture land in Rejang Lebong District, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia. The research was conducted from February to April 2016 in Rejang Lebong, geographically lying on 102°19'-102°57' Lat., 2°22'07''- 3°31' Long., covering of 155,504.81 ha. Land functions of the district are covered by of Bukit Daun and Bukit Balai Rejang protected forests, Kerinci Seblat National Park, Bukit Kaba Tourism Natural Forest Park, and agricultural cultivation areas. To define land suitability for red potato cultivation in Rejang Lebong areas based on suitable temperature following adaptation experiment results of red potato planted in the medium altitude of Bengkulu Province conducting previously. Spatial analysis for calculating areas of potentially suitable cultivation for red potato was based on overlaying from attributes of the suitable temperature, rainfall, and some soil characteristics. Initial suitable land for potato plantation in Rejang Lebong covered about ha 46,608.98 ha or 29.97 % of the district area with agriculture land function of 11,954.59 ha or 7.69% of the district, and forest land use of 34,654.39 ha or 22.28% of the district. Based on the overlying suitable land for red potato cultivation over the Rejang Lebong areas was about 108,639.36 ha lying on agriculture land use of 58,076.64 ha or 37.34%, and over on conservation and protected forest of 50,562.72 ha or 32.51%. Potentially suitable land for potato cultivation in Rejang Lebong after correcting with reference of suitable temperature covered double more of the agriculture land than that of the initial. Therefore, in one hand, Rejang Lebong as a central of potato production in Bengkulu has some opportunities to increase potato production for supplying potato demand from surrounding areas in the future. On the other, attempt to increase potato production in Rejang Lebong have to consider environmental aspects and protected conservation forest areas.