WATER RETENTION OPTION OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM FOR DRY SEASON CORN CULTIVATION AT TIDAL LOWLAND AREA
ABSTRACT: Corn production
obtained was 6.4 t ha-1. This condition was very promising though still below
the maximum national production. The aapplications of subsurface drainage was
still not optimumum due to the supply of water from the main system was not the
same because of the soil physical properties diversity and topography
differences.This condition implied that installation of sub-surface drainage at
dry season had function as water retention, not as water discharge. There-fore,
network function was inverted from water discharge into water retention. It had
impact on the development of optimum water surface that flow in capillary mode
to fulfill the crop’s water requirement. Farming constraint at tidal lowland
area is about water management related to the nature of excessive water during
wet season and insuf-ficient water during dry season. This field research
objectives was to find out the corn crop culti-vation in August 2014 which
entered dry season.The iinstallation of subsurface drainage that previously had
functioned as water discharge was converted into water retention. The research
results showed that corn had grown well during peak dry season period (October)
in which water table was at –50 cm below soil surface, whereas water table
depth was dropped to –70 cm below soil surface in land without subsurface
drainage.
Author: Bakri, Momon Sodik
Imanudin, S. Masreah Bernas
Journal Code: jppertaniangg150025
