Bantul rice yields exceed 10 tons per hectare via balanced fertilization

Rice production in a 5-hectare demonstration plot managed by the Lestari Nogosari Farmers Group in Trirenggo, Bantul, has reached over 10 tons of grain per hectare. Specifically, the productivity recorded was 10,097 kilograms per hectare.

The high yield was achieved through a balanced fertilization method consisting of 70 percent synthetic fertilizer and 6 liters per hectare of Pureplant liquid biofertilizer (PHC). This outperformed other tested methods, such as using 100 percent chemical fertilizer (6,624 kg/ha) or 100 percent chemical fertilizer supplemented with PHC (7,534 kg/ha).

Sunarya, the mentor for the Lestari Nogosari group, noted that the balanced fertilization resulted in healthy plant growth, with approximately 55 tillers per plant and abundant grains. This achievement represents an increase of approximately 3 tons per hectare compared to the local average of 7 tons per hectare in the Trirenggo area. Officials from the Bantul Agriculture Office and the Ministry of Agriculture expressed hope that these cultivation practices could be expanded to increase regional rice production and potential surpluses.