Classification of Climate and Land Suitability of Rice in East Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara

Abstract

East Sumba Regency is an dry climate area, which has an impact on water availability, especially for agricultural production. Additionally, this area has a large area of land that can be optimize for productive agricultural areas. Several factors that affect productive land are climate, land management, and water availability. Climate classification can represent the right time for cultivation according to the availability of water. The aims of this research are to determine climate classification in East Sumba Regency. Further, land suitability for rice and planting season were determined. Mohr and Scmidth -Ferguson methods were used in this study to determine climate classification. While calculation of water demand war carried out using the Van de Goor and Ziljsha methods, depend on a constant rate in lt/sc/ha during the land preparation period. Meanwhile, some parameters such as organic matter, N total, climate criteria, water availability, topography, and soil fertility were collected to determine land suitability for rice production. Crop water requirement (CWR) of rice was calculated by using CROPWAT. According to Mohr's method, The East Sumba Regency included in V climate type with 4-5 months of what months and 6-7 months of dry months. While Scmidth -Ferguson method resulted that this area has type E (slightly dry) which has a Q value ranging from 100 -167. Land suitability analysis had several components that need Analysis of land criteria based on physical conditions in the field, including the average temperature (℃) around 24.1 -29.1, rainfall (mm/month) 0 -262, humidity (%) 69 -87, texture class slightly fine to fine, soil CEC (cmol/kg) 12. 58 -15.09, pH H2O 7.06 -7.18, C-Organic (%) 2.53 -2.84, moderate total N, slope < 3, moderate landslide hazard very light. Based on these values, Sumba Regency is categorized as S1 (very suitable) for rice production. These results of this study are expected to increase rice productivity in terms of the technology used, climate and climatology analysis, determination of land suitability, and rice planting period.