AgriHealth: Journal of Agri-food, Nutrition and Public Health
Vol 6, No 1 (2025): April

The Effect of Land Clearing Techniques on the Chemical and Biological Character of Soil in Sugarcane Fields

Anna Kusumawati (Department of Plantation Management, Politeknik Lembaga Pendidikan Perkebunan, Yogyakarta)
Lintang Panjali Siwi Pambayun (Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gunung Kidul, Gunungkidul)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jun 2025

Abstract

Land clearing after harvest in sugarcane cultivation is often done by burning. However, burning influences the ecosystem, such as the chemical and biological characteristics of soil. This research aims to analyze the impact of different methods of clearing sugarcane fields on the chemical and biological conditions of the soil. This research used a non-factorial, completely randomized design (CRD) with two treatments: land clearing with burning and without burning. Each treatment was carried out on an area of 50 m2 with two blocks as repetitions. For chemical and biological analysis, soil samples were taken from pitfall traps and soil monoliths (1 m x 1 m x 30 cm). Two treatments showed significant differences in the total N and available P, and burning reduced 21% the number of organisms significantly. There were significant differences between the two treatments regarding the macrofauna diversity index, species evenness value, and dominance index. Post-harvest burning significantly reduces total N and available P and negatively impacts biological indicators such as organism numbers, diversity, evenness, and dominance index. This decrease in organic matter causes a reduction in the populations of organisms, thus disrupting soil health. Therefore, this study recommends that sugarcane residues be returned to the land as a source of organic matter to maintain soil health, biodiversity, and optimal productivity.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

agrihealth

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Education Environmental Science Health Professions Public Health

Description

AgriHealth: Journal of Agri-food, Nutrition and Public Health merupakan wadah publikasi ilmiah hasil kajian penerapan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi kepada para pemangku kepentingan (stakeholder) di bidang pertanian ramah lingkungan, pangan, gizi dan kesehatan masyarakat yang meliputi: Budidaya ...