Abstract:
More than 78 thousand hectares of acid sulfate soil in Barito Kuala Regency, South
Kalimantan Province, Indonesia has been managed for agriculture purposed with the
condition of high acidity, low nutrient availability and high iron poisoning in water of
rice fields. Treatment combination of biochar, lime, and compost is amendment to
improve the quality of acid sulfate soil for rice field to increase the rice production.
The treatment of biochar as a soil enhancer with consideration of its organic-C which
has good potential as a soil amendment. Meanwhile, compost as organic material
will maintain soil reduce poisoning due to the solubility of metals. Lime will reduce
soil acidity and dissolving soil cations thereby reducing metal toxicity in acid soils.
The results showed that during vegetative period the water acidity of rice field
reduces from 15th day after planting (dap) about pH 3.5, about pH 4.0 for 30th dap
and continue increase about pH 4.5 on 45th dap. Continuing the increase of total of
rice tiller each plot including their height to show the improvement performance of
rice growth compared to control.
