The productivity and economic value of sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) planted intercropped with satoimo taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott var. Antiquorum) with various levels of compost

Abstract

Sweetpotato (Ipomea batatas), as a well-known plant and widely cultivated by farmers in South Sulawesi, if it is intercropped with satoimo taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott var. Antiquorum) as a staple crop should be suspected of being able to be a ‘safety’ crop when there is a failure in taro plant—due to the relatively new and un-well-known plant. The study was aimed to know the productivity and economic value of sweet potato planted as an intercropped on the staple crop satoimo taro plantation with several levels of compost. The study used a randomized complete block design with four levels of manure compost, namely 400 grams, 800 grams, and 1200 grams per staple plant, which put into and mixed evenly in the plant hole, and 1200 grams per staple plant which mixed evenly in the beds, and three blocks. Sweet potatoes were planted between staple plants satoimo that arranged 20 plants in a bed of 500 cm x 110 cm in two rows. The parameters observed were yields of tuber per plant, size of tuber, number of tubers, and dry weight of tops. The results showed that there is no level of compost affected significantly. However, both of the levels of 1200 grams of compost which is filled into the plant hole, and 1200 grams of compost mixed in the beds tended to be higher than the others in tuber productivity. By economic valuations, the RC-ratio and RC-ratio indicated that planting intercropped sweet potato are beneficially in all levels and increased after the levels of compost. Cultivating sweet potato intercropped in the two kinds application of 1200 grams levels in the taro plantation is more recommended.

Clustering Patterns of Food Crops to Increase Community Income in Papua Province

“…Small and medium-scale businesses have the potential to bring in income for the community [6], [7] and the government which is expected to become an economic force for the region and the local community as potential products that have competitiveness [8]- [11], marketability [8]- [10], [12]- [16], and impetus towards and can enter the global market. In line with this, Presidential Regulation Number 22 Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) [17]- [21] is a strategic food commodity because it contains a source of starch, and is a staple food in Papua. Sweet potato is a traditional special food to meet food needs, to the development of special foods.…”

Growth and production of japanese taro (Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum) by using plastic mulch and biofertilizer

“…Such characteristics of taro, especially japanese taro, provide a great opportunity for further increased exports. Japanese taro should be commercially cultivated because it is economically profitable, especially in South Sulawesi [6,7]. Indonesia is the sixth largest supplier of japanese taro in 2019 with a share of 0.03% below Vietnam, Taipei, Myanmar and the United States.…”