Characteristics of Land Suitability for Chili Plants

 

This article will continue the previous post about land suitability, but this time I will discuss land suitability for chili plants more specifically. From my experience of surveying several lands in West Java, Indonesia, I found that there are many types and characteristics of the land that can be planted with chili commodities.

Chilies belong to the Solanaceae family which can generally grow in wetland and dryland conditions, but of course, we need land that is very suitable for planting chilies.

This information will be very useful, especially in carrying out agricultural projects, because there will be many things that need to be done, such as adjustments to project finances and procedures. Survey data that has been compared with land suitability data will create improvements that can be made to achieve maximum production.

I have collected information and data from various literature and research, both in the field and on paper and there are at least several land characteristics that need to be considered, I have divided them into 3 main points.

1. Soil Quality

Soil quality really determines soil fertility which can be determined from the acidity/pH level, % C-Organic, Soil CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity), nutrient content such as N-total, P2O, K2O, base saturation, and salinity. This land quality data is very helpful for agricultural activities. We can increase soil fertility biologically and chemically, for example by adding organic and chemical fertilizers which can help plant growth well.

2. Land/ Topography Suitability

Topographic land quality is obtained from survey data in the form of slope, land drainage, elevation, soil type, soil depth, root area, erosion hazard, surface rocks and rock outcrops. Topographically suitable land will help obtain easy farming techniques. However, to improve the physical properties of the soil, proper land management techniques are also needed, such as hoeing/bursting the soil, making beds according to the contour of the land, and making good drainage channels.

3. Climate Suitability

Climate greatly influences every agricultural activity, therefore this is an important characteristic that must be considered when selecting land. We can collect data from average temperature, rainfall data, number of wet months, duration of sunlight, and relative humidity. Microclimate regulation can also be done by making trenches, using plastic mulch in beds, and adjusting plant spacing.

If we get land with good soil quality, climate and topography that is suitable for cultivating chili plants, this will greatly facilitate the running of agricultural activities and of course, will reduce costs in order to get maximum results.

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Literature :

Wahyunto et al., 2016, Technical Guidance: Guidelines for Land Suitability Assessment for Strategic Agricultural Commodities Semi-Detailed Scale 1 : 50.000. Bogor : Agricultural Research and Development Agency, Ministry of Agriculture.

Sumarsono J., Widiantri IA., Saputra SB. 2023. Analysis of Land Suitability of Leading Commodities Tomato and Chili in the Sub-district of Moyo Hilir, Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Faculty of Food Technology and Agroindustry, University of  Mataram.