INCREASING PRODUCTION OF RICE FIELDS THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF N-TETHERING BIOFERTILIZER AND STRAW COMPOST IN TWO WATER MANAGEMENT FACILITIES

Improving the fertility of rice fields can be carried out by utilizing straw compost and biofertilizer that are adaptive towards the rice fields’ ecosystem. A study to determine the effect of N-Tethering biofertilizer and straw compost application on the content of C-organic, soil’s available-N, and plants’ N concentration and the rice field production in two conditions of water has been conducted at the rice fields of the farmers in Sukakarya Bekasi. Three treatments being investigated are application of biofertilizer + straw compost +2/3 measure of N-fertilizer, controlled aerob water management, IPAT plant system; application of biofertilizer + straw compost + 2/3 measure of N-fertilizer, water management as commonly used by local farmers, plant system of type 2 legowo 4:1; and fertilizing as recommended by local practice, water management and plant system as commonly practiced by local farmers. The investigation implements field research method on a square of rice field of ± 500 m2 in area, analyzed using univariate analysis followed by LSD test. The results show that the application of 400 g ha-1of N-tethering and 2 tons ha-1 of straw compost in the IPAT plant system with water management of spate irrigation and on type 2 legowo 4:1 plant system with inundation water management improves the soil’s N and K content, the plant’s N and K content, productive tillers and dried unhulled-rice harvest.