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Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development (AJAD) - Call for papers!

Land evaluation as a basis for agriculture food crops development: Case in Raumoco Lautem, Timor-Leste

(Timor-Leste), Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Science (Universitas Gadjah Mada)

Dissertation Abstract:

Land surveying activities have been carried out in Raumoco Lautem, East Timor, and covering sub-district Lautem and Luro from October 2013 to January 2015 in an area of 13,353.5 ha with 11 land units. The sub-district of Lautem land units consists of Lalinuk 1 (SPT 5), Lalinuk 2 (SPT 6), Salapunu (SPT 12), Suruwaku (SPT 18), and Macalodo (101). The Luro sub-district land units cover Odafuro (SPT 17), Etanisi (SPT 59), Ailarino (SPT 105), Akawasa (SPT 125), Atecalmor (SPT 126), and Burugue (SPT 130). Each land unit is represented by a soil profile. Soil samples from representative profile and composites were analyzed using equipment and chemicals for soil analysis at the Soil Science Laboratory of Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada. The results of land evaluation were two soil types—namely, Entisol and Inceptisol that formed under the rainfall at 1,044.7 mm per year, average air temperature at 26.5ºC with isothermic soil temperature regime, and ustic humidity regime. Entisol covered a land area of 12,607.1 ha (94.4%) and Inceptisol, 746.4 ha (5.6%). Soil fertility was low to high with percentages at low, 18.2 percent; medium, 63.6 percent; and higher, 18.2 percent. The main obstacle of soil fertility was soil moisture dryness. Land stability for rice and maize on the actual conditions by LPT Bogor system were S3rfn (18.2%), N1me (45.5%), and N2m (36.3%). Land suitability classes on the potential conditions were S3mre (27.3%), N1m (36.4%), and N2m (36.3%). Soybean crop actually contained by S3N (18.2%), N1me (36.3%), and N2m (45.5%); whereas, the land suitability classes on the potential condition increased to S2tmrn (18.2%), S3mre (9.1%), N1m (36.45%), and N2m (36.3%). The actual land suitability for peanut were S3n (18.2%), N1me (45.5%), and N2m (36.3%); while the potential conditions were S2mn (18.2%), S3me (9.1%), N1m (36.4%), and N2m (36.3%). Rice, maize, soybean, and peanut were quite suitable in the sub-district of Lautem and Luro especially on land units of Odafuro (SPT 17) and Suruwaku (SPT 18) by intercropping pattern system. The cropping periods can be twice in one year, if there is an additional irrigation.