Maize has an important role in the national economy, but at some area, including in Maluku, the productivity is still low, below its potential productivity. The productivity of maize could be improved by planting high yielding and adaptive variety to the local environment. Study was conducted in the Haruru village, District Amahai, Central Maluku, from March to August 2012 aimed to identify maize varieties adaptive on dry land agro ecosystem. The study used randomized block design, replicated three times, where farmers’ fields were used as replications. The varieties tested were Srikandi Kuning, Gumarang, and Sukmaraga composites varieties. Bima-2 and Bima-2 (hybrid varieties) and Mutiara, Ungu Hati Putih, Merah, Orange Hati Putih, and Orange Hati Merah (local variety, obtained from farmers’ fields in the district of MTB). Fertilizers were drilled, 5-7 cm on the side of plant at a rate of 135 kg N, 90 kg P2O5, 60 kg K2O and 1-2 t manure/ha. Variables to be measured were percentage of surviving plants, age at 50% of male flowering, age at 50% of female flowering, plant height, ear height, cob length, cob weight, cob diameter, number of rows/ear, seed number per ear row, 100-seed weight, weight of dry grains, moisture content, and grain yield. Results showed that local varieties indicated a better growth, but grain yield were superior for the hybrid and the composite varieties. Bima-4 hybrid variety produced 10.31 t/ha dry grain, followed by Bima-2 hybrid and the composite varieties of Sukmaraga, Srikandi Kuning, and Gumarang, each was 8.70 t/ha, 7.97 t/ha, 7.60 t/ha and 7.26 t/ha, respectively. Local varieties Mutiara, Orange Hati Putih, Merah, Orange Hati Merah, and Ungu Hati Putih each yielded only 3.74 t/ha, 3.32 t/ha, 3.07 t/ha, 3.02 t/ha and 2.45 t/ha respectively.

The low yield of cabbage in Maluku is thought to due to the lack of attention of farmers to grow to crop because so far farmers think it can only grow well and forms crops in the highlands, so no one wants to grow cabbage. This study aimed to determine the yield performance of five cabbage varieties with the use of several types of mulches and was carried out in Gemba Village, Kairatu Subdistrict, Western Seram Regency. The experimental design used was the factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications and the farmers as replications. The first factor was five varieties of cabbage (Sehati-F1, Daehnfeldt, Green Hero, Green Coronet, KK-Koss), the second factor was the type of mulch, consisting of four types, namely: without mulch (M0), black silver plastic mulch, straw mulch, and husk mulch. The data obtained were analyzed with analysis of variance and DMRT test at the level of 5% if necessary. Parameters observed included plant height at 45 days after planting, leaf number, percentage of crop formation, percentage of pest and disease attacks, crop circumference per plant at harvest, fruit weight, and yield.  The study results showed that the five varieties tested with the use of various types of mulch had the potentials to be developed in Maluku. Varieties with the highest yields and very good adaptation to lowland environments in Maluku included Sehati-F1 and KK-Cross. Pest control by using plant-based pesticides in a combination with scheduled mechanical control (yellow plates, pitfalls, and stick traps) could reduce the levels of pest and disease attacks and the crops appeared healthy for consumption. Keywords: cabbage, lowland, mulch   ABSTRAK Rendahnya produksi kubis di Maluku diduga akibat kurangnya perhatian petani untuk bertanam kubis, yang dikarenakan selama ini petani mengira kubis hanya dapat tumbuh baik dan membentuk krop di dataran tinggi, sehingga sedikit petani yang mau berusahatani kubis. Kajian ini bertujuan mengetahui keragaan hasil lima varietas kubis dengan penggunaan berbagai jenis mulsa di desa Gemba, Kecamatan Kairatu, Kabupaten Seram Bagian Barat. Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan adalah rancangan acak kelompok faktorial dengan tiga ulangan dan petani sebagai ulangan. Faktor pertama adalah lima varietas kubis (Sehati-F1, Daehnfeldt, Green hero, Green Coronet, KK-Cross); faktor kedua adalah jenis mulsa yang terdiri dari empat macam, yaitu: tanpa mulsa (M0), mulsa plastic hitam perak, mulsa jerami dan mulsa sekam. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis menggunakan analisis ragam dan uji lanjut DMRT pada taraf 5% sesuai kebutuhan. Peubah-peubah yang diamati meliputi tinggi tanaman umur 45 hari setelah tanam (hst), jumlah daun, persentase pembentukan krop, persentase serangan hama dan penyakit, lingkar buah per tanaman saat panen, bobot buah dan hasil panen. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kelima varietas yang di uji dengan penggunaan berbagai jenis mulsa sangat berpotensi untuk dibudidayakan di Maluku berdasarkan kemampuannya membentuk krop. Varietas dengan produksi tertinggi dan beradaptasi sangat baik terhadap lingkungan dataran rendah di lokasi penelitian adalah Sehati-F1 dan KK-Cross. Penggendalian hama dengan menggunakan pestisida nabati yang dikombinasikan dengan pengendalian secara mekanis (tampan kuning, pitfoll dan sticky trap) secara terjadwal dapat menurunkan tingkat serangan hama dan penyakit, dan menghasilkan tanaman-tanaman yang sehat. Kata Kunci: dataran rendah, kubis, mulsa, varietas

<p>Adaptation study of hybrid maize varieties and improved varieties do subdistrict Wonreli Southwest Maluku district from September to December 2012. Study using a randomized block design repeated 3 times and farmers as replicates. Varieties tested is the Bima-3, Bima-4, Bima-5, Srikandi kuning, Lamuru, Lagaligo and Lokal MBD as a comparison. Fertilization is done drill, a distance of 5-7 cm from the plant, fertilizer dose of 300 kg urea, 200 kg SP-36, 100 kg of KCl and 1-2 t.ha-1manure. Urea fertilizer done twice, is 100 kg urea and entire SP36 and KCl at the age of 7-10 plants hst and residual urea 200 kg administered at 30 dap. Parameters observed plant height at harvest, High cob, cob diameter, cob length, number of rows/cob, number of grains / row, weight of 1000 seeds and Yield per hectare. The results of the study showed that of the varieties tested turned out varieties Bima-5 higher result of (6.7 t.ha-1) and the lowest result is Lokas MBD ( 5.7 t.ha-1).</p>

The composition of males and females is very influential on the productivity of nutmeg plants. This research aimed to get the composition of male, female, and shade types related to the productivity of the nutmeg plant in the center of nutmeg in Maluku. Nested Design Three-Factor. Production centers are divided: Large Island, Medium Island and Small Island, determined as Factor A. Data on the number of trees Ratio male: female as factor B (B1 = ratio <1:10); (B2 = ratio 1:10 - 1:15); and (B3 = ratio> 1:20). Minimum of five female nutmeg samples for observation of production in a layered (Proportional Stratified Random Sample) harvest season in a year as a replication, namely Harvest I; Harvest II; and Harvest III. The results showed that the natural sex ratio of nutmeg was 1:10 in Small Island, Medium Island, and Big Island. The average productivity of nutmeg was 1,494, 1,465, and 1,296 fruit/tree/year, respectively. The farming system in Small Island was a monoculture of 100% shade plants, while in Medium and Big Island, the farming system was 33% - 50% shade plants and 50% - 67% other perennial crops.

Pala Banda (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) merupakan tanaman asli Kepulauan Maluku. Tujuan dari penelitian adalah untuk menguji teknik pengendalian hama dan penyakit terpadu pada pala Banda di Maluku. Lokasi penelitian di Desa Pulau Ay, Kecamatan Banda Naira, Kabupaten Maluku Tengah. Penelitian dilaksanakan pada tahun 2014-2015, dimulai dengan survei identifikasi hama dan penyakit utama tanaman pala. Penelitian pengendalian hama dan penyakit menggunakan Racangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) yang terdiri atas 6 perlakuan, yaitu (A) Sanitasi + furadan pestisida 3G), (B) Sanitasi + Beauveria bassiana, (C) Sanitasi + Arang tempurung + Pupuk tambahan (M2C), (D) Sanitasi + Arang tempurung + pupuk organik cair, (E) Sanitasi + Insektisida nabati Biotris dan (F) kebiasaan petani. Hasil identifikasi diketahui bahwa hama utama pada pertanaman pala di Maluku adalah penggerek batang (Batocera hercules) dan penyakit utamanya adalah kanker batang (Phytophthora palmivora). Akibat serangan hama dan penyakit maka produksi buah pala selama 5 tahun terakhir menurun dari dari 3000-5000 buah/pohon/tahun menjadi 457-2905 buah/pohon/tahun. Setelah dilakukan pengendalian hama dan penyakit secara terpadu maka produksi meningkat menjadi 1.850-3.000 buah/pohon/tahun. Paket pengendalian terbaik adalah perlakuan sanitasi + B. bassiana, diikuti dengan perlakuan sanitasi + arang tempurung + hormon, perlakuan sanitasi + arang tempurung + pupuk tambahan, dan perlakuan sanitasi + insektisida hayati biotris. Pengendalian hama dan penyakit pada tanaman pala yang paling menguntungkan adalah sanitasi + arang tempurung + pupuk organik cair. Oleh karena itu, perlakuan tersebut perlu diuji pada skala komersial sebelum direkomendasikan kepada petani.