TEKNIK BUDIDAYA SINGKONG OLEH PETANI DI KOTA BENGKULU - Supanjani, Supanjani (Agrin, 2012)
Singkong dapat menjadi sumber pangan alternatif dan sumber bioenergi yang paling efisien dibandingkandengan tebu dan jagung, yang menjadi sumber utama bioetanol dunia. Penelitian ini bertujuan untukmengumpulkan informasi teknologi budidaya singkong, dari sisi klon, pengolahan lahan, penanaman danpemupukan, yang diterapkan oleh petani di Kota Bengkulu beserta produktivitasnya. Survey dilakukan denganmengidentifikasi pertanaman singkong yang sudah tumbuh dan cukup umur untuk dipanen, mendiskusikandengan petani teknik budidaya yang diterapkan, membeli, mengukur pertumbuhan dan memanen tanamansampel singkong untuk menduga produktivitasnya. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa teknik budidaya yangditerapkan oleh petani beragam sehingga produktivitasnya beragam dengan rentang 19 – 75 ton ha-1. Petanimemilih klon-klon yang telah terbukti berproduksi tinggi di daerahnya maupun di daerah lain. Produktivitasingkong yang tinggi disebabkan oleh penggunaan bibit unggul produksi tinggi, pengolahan lahan sempurna danpemupukan kandang yang dicampur pada saat pengolahan lahan. Fleksibilitas pemanenan ubi dapatdimanfaatkan oleh petani untuk mengatasi deteriorasi fisiologis pasca panen. Penelitian lebih lanjut perludifokuskan tentang keseuaian klon dan teknik budidaya yang meliputi pemupukan anorganik dan hayati denganmikroba pemacu pertumbuhan tanaman, serta kualitas singkong untuk bahan pangan dan bioethanol.Kata kunci: singkong, petani, produktivitas, teknik budidayaABSTRACTCassava can be the most efficient crop for food and altervative energy as compared with sugarcane andcorn, currently main feeding sources of world bioethanol. A survey was conducted to gather informationregarding cultural techniques used for growing cassava, with regard to clone/genetic selection, soil tillage,planting pattern and fertilization applied by farmers in Bengkulu City, and their related root productivity. Plotsof cassava crops reaching their maturity were identified. Discussions were accomplished farmers regarding withcultural techniques in growing cassava, follwed by measuring plant growth and taking samples for assessingroot growth and yield. The results demonstrated that farmers varied in applying cultural techniques for growingcassava hence their cassava yields varied greatly from 19 to 75 ton ha-1. Farmers selected cassava propagulesbased on information, both from their own vicinity or from other places, that they are high yielding. High rootproductivity was related to the use of high-yielding varieties, full tillage combined with manure fertilization. Theadvantage of flexibility in harvesting root were employed by farmers with daily harvesting to aleviate postharvestphysiological deterioration in selling fresh root. Based on this informastion, further researches shouldbe focused on the suitability of cassava clones with specific environment, cultural techniques, includinganorganic fertilization, the use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteri and their related root qualities for foodand bioethanol.Key words: cassava, farmers, cultural techniques, yield