Organic Fertilizer Applicator Performance Test On Rice Field

Intensive use of paddy fields will cause a decrease in the fertility of the land and to reduce the content of organic matter in soil. Organic content in the soil affects the soil's ability to bind water and the efficiency of fertilizer absorption by plants. It's as well as an important source of nutrients for plants [1]. On the other hand, the continuous use of chemical fertilizers will result in environmental pollution even though fertilization is one of the important things to increase production. Organic fertilizer applicator technology is able to fertilize quickly and precisely. The use of organic fertilizer alike compost has positive effect on physical and mechanical properties of the soil [1] and use of organic fertilizers as soil conditioner can increase soil organic matter content so as to maintain and increase the fertility of agricultural land. Fertilization using technology in the form of an organic fertilizer applicator is expected to maximize plant growth so that it can increase rice production. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficiency of the application of organic fertilizer on rice fields. This applicator uses a conveyor belt as metering device, so that the power for the operation of the applicator comes from the wheel rotation and chain transmission. The results show that the applicator can function well. The factors that influence the magnitude of efficiency include the speed and proficiency of the operator. (paper)