EFFORTS TO INCREASE POTATO (Solanum tuberosum) PRODUCTION

IN INDONESIA SLOPED ANDISOLS

Dr. Tamad
tamadenah@gmail.com (+62 081327259622)
Agrotechnology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Jenderal Soedirman University
dr. Soeparno street Karangwangkal Purwokerto, Central of Java, Indonesia

I. INTRODUCTION
Potato is an important food commodity. However, to meet national needs, Indonesia still
imports. The volume of potato imports in Indonesia in 2017 was 20 thousand tons with a value of
US $ 8.8 million. The largest import of potato came from Germany with 5,239 tons (US $ 2.01
million), Canada with 4,172 tons (US $ 1.96 million), England with 700 tons (US $ 484 thousand),
and the United States 340 tons (US $ 181 thousand) (CADIS/PUSDATIN, 2017). The development
of potato export-import in Indonesia in 2014-2016 is presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Volume and value of potato export-import in Indonesia in the last 3 years
Year Growth
Item (2016 to 2015) (%)
2014 2015 2016
Export Volume (tons) 6,535 7,124 6,067 -15.06
Import Value (000 US $) 6,089 5,049 4,863 -3.70
Import Volume (tons) 93,260 101,558 106,230 4.60
Import Value (000 US $) 83,241 82,563 85,170 3.16

Cultivation of potato for people in the highlands/mountains has a strategic position. In

addition to providing benefits to millions of mountainous land farmers, it also plays an important
role in maintaining the environmental function of watersheds and the buffer areas below.
Opportunities for cultivating potato crops on mountainous land are prone to erosion and landslides
if the principles of soil and water conservation are not considered. So far, cultivation of potato crops
on mountainous land has often been blamed for causing erosion and landslides, due to management
that does not follow conservation principles.
In Indonesia, the potato plant is cultivated on plains with an altitude of 1000-3000 m
above sea level. Potato cultivation land is generally in the form of sloping areas up to more than
30%. Most farmers cultivate potato plants in sloping areas that do not follow conservation
principles, namely planting potato plants on mounds/beds that are along the slopes. The impact of
land use is that the land experiences intensive erosion and even landslides. The long-term impact of
this potato cultivation method causes soil productivity to decrease drastically and sedimentation in
the lowland area.
Several potato crop centers in Indonesia include Kaligua Brebes, Central of Java,
Lembang Bandung West of Java, Berastagi Karo North Sumatera, and South Minahasa, North
Sulawesi. The land in the area is dominated by Andisol. Andisols in Indonesia are quite extensive,
namely ± 5.4 million ha. The characteristics of Andisols are:
 Formed from sand and/or volcanic ash,
 Feels light and slippery,
 Contains more than 60% of volcanic silt, sand and gravel,
 Dark in color,
 Contains C-organic in clay fraction from 4.8 to 11.5% by weight, allofan (Si3Al4O12. nH2O) up
to 50% by weight, allofanic-organic 1-5% by weight, hydrooxide, humus-hydrooxide complex,

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 Allofan specific surface area 100-800 m2 g-1, CEC 5-350 cmol kg-1, with Si /Al atomic ratio 0.5-
1.0. Allofan with a Si /Al atomic ratio of about 0.5 is very reactive to phosphate, whereas
allophane with a Si /Al atomic ratio of about 1 is less reactive to phosphate,
 pH depending charged,
 High absorption of phosphate because there are aluminol groups (Al-OH and Al-OH2+),
 A lot of P fertilization for Andisols does not guarantee a lot of P availability for plants, because
the efficiency of P fertilization in Andisols is low between 10% and 20% P (Fiantis et al.,
2005).
The application of effective and efficient fertilizers for potato cultivation in the sloping
Andisol area plays an important role in preserving the environment and increasing potato
production. Generally, farmers use large amounts of organic and chemical fertilizers to increase
potato production. Organic fertilizers used by potato farmers include chicken manure and chemical
fertilizers such as ZK and Phonska. However, the use of organic and chemical fertilizers has not
been able to increase potato production. This is because increasing Andisol productivity requires
biological agents and the use of chemical fertilizers that are balanced in type and quantity.
Fertilization of chemical fertilizers aims to meet the nutrient needs of plants. One of the
important nutrients for plants is phosphorus (P). In plant tissue phosphorus exists in chemical and
organic forms. Chemical phosphorus is found in cell fluids as a component of plant support
systems, while organic phosphorus is present as: (1) phospholipids, which are components of
cytoplasmic membranes and chloroplasts, (2) phytin, which are phosphate deposits in seeds, (3)
sugar phosphate, compounds between various metabolic processes, (4) nucleoproteins, are the main
components of DNA and RNA from the cell nucleus, (5) ATP, ADP, AMP, CTP, GTP, and similar
compounds, are a source of energy for metabolism, (6) NAD, and NADP, both of which are
important coenzymes in redox processes, and (7) FAD, and plant enzymes (Mengel and Kirkby,
1987).
P nutrients in the soil are in the form of CaP, AlP, and FeP, while the P-organic in the
form of inositol (C6 (PO4)6) is 10-50%, nucleic acids are 1-5%, and phospholipids are 0.2-2,% . The
form of phosphate absorbed by plants is influenced by soil pH, among others. In soil with a pH of
4.0 to 5.5 phosphorus is absorbed by plants as H2PO4-, at pH phosphorus is absorbed by plants as
HPO42-, while soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0 phosphorus is absorbed by a combination of H2PO4- and
HPO42- (Havlin et al., 2005).
Deficiency of P in plants can be observed visually, namely old leaves are purple or
reddish due to the formation of anthocyanin pigments. Anthocyanins are formed due to the
accumulation of sugar in the leaves as a result of inhibition of protein synthesis. Another symptom
of P deficiency is the loss of tissue at the edge of the blade, petiole, and stems and roots becoming
weak (Black, 1968).
Apart from chemical fertilizers, the soil also needs organic fertilizers to support the
fertility of the soil. Organic fertilizers are fertilizers that are composed of living matter, such as
weathering the remains of plants, animals, and humans. Organic fertilizers can be solid or liquid
which are used to improve soil physical, chemical and biological properties. Organic fertilizers
contain more organic matter than their nutrient content. Sources of organic material can be
compost, green manure, manure, crop residues, livestock waste, industrial waste that uses
agricultural materials, and municipal waste (garbage). Biological organic fertilizer (BOF) is an
organic fertilizer enriched with phosphate microbial biological agents and soil borne disease control
microbes (Tamad et al., 2020bc). Biological agents, biofertilizers and biocontrol, which are added
to organic fertilizers are useful for increasing the availability of nutrients, especially phosphorus,
and controlling soil borne diseases in potato crops.
Potato yield is also determined by disease disorders, including soil-borne diseases caused
by pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Among the most common potato plant diseases are (Soesanto et
al., 2013):

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1. Late blight, caused by the fungus Phytopthora infestans. Symptoms of small patches of green
gray to brown to black with white edges which are sporangium and rotting/dead leaves.
2. Bacterial wilt, caused by Pseudomonas solanacearum. Symptoms of some young leaves on plant
shoots wilt and yellowing of old leaves and lower leaves.
3. Tuber rot, caused by the fungus Colleotrichum coccodes. Symptoms of the leaves turn yellow
and roll, then wilt and dry. Infection will cause rotten roots and young tubers.
4. Fusarium, caused by the fungus Fusarium sp. Symptoms of tuber rot that cause plants to wilt.
This disease also attacks potatoes in storage. Infection enters through wounds caused by
nematodes/ mechanical factors.
5. Dry spots (Early Blight), caused by the fungus Alternaria solani. The fungus lives on the
remains of diseased plants and thrives in dry areas. Symptoms of small leaf spots scattered
irregularly, dark brown in color, extending to young leaves. The skin surface of the tubers is
dark, irregular, dry, wrinkled and hard.

1.1. Cultivating Potato in Andisols

The area of Andisols in Indonesia are around 5.4 million hectares, the most of which are
in Sumatra and Java. Most of Andisols, or about 62%, are located on steep slopes, and the rest are
in hilly and wavy areas. Andisols are formed from volcanic material through weathering resulting
in changes in the physical and chemical properties of the host rock. Andisols are scattered in areas
that have volcanoes, from Sumatra to Nusa Tenggara and parts of Sulawesi and the Maluku islands.
In Indonesia, Andisol is about 2.9% of Indonesia's land area spread across North Sumatra (1.06
million hectares), East Java (0.73 million hectares), West Java (0.50 million hectares), Central Java
(0.45 million hectares). million hectares), Maluku (0.32 million hectares), other provinces in
Sumatra, Sulawesi and Papua (CRDALR/BBLSLP, 2006). Potato cultivation areas in Andisol land
in Central of Java include the Kaligua Brebes area, Central of Java.
Potato farmers in Kaligua Brebes, Central Java plant on beds/mounds with a land slope of
more than 30%. The mounds/bed are made in the same direction and along the slope (Figure 1).
Such a habit of growing potatoes is aimed at creating good aeration conditions and soil moisture.

Figure 1. Potato cultivation along the slopes in Kaligua Brebes, Central of Java

1.2. Cultivating Potato in Andisols with Conservation Techniques

Soil and water conservation principles recommend the direction of upland and potato
plants in areas with a slope of more than 30%, which is in the direction of the contour/cutting
slopes. This is done to reduce erosion and maintain fertility and soil productivity in the cultivated
area (Figure 2).

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 Figure 2. Potato mounds along the contour

The advantages of conservation potato cultivation technology are:

1. Suppressing erosion by applying mechanical conservation in the form of making mounds/beds
in the same direction as the contour and vegetative conservation in the form of reinforcing
mounds with animal feed grass, as well as a source of animal feed.
2. Bio-organic fertilizers (BOF) are more effective and efficient in increasing the availability of P,
improving Andisol properties and overcoming plant pathogens.
3. Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and
4. Ensure land sustainability and increase potato production with an environmentally friendly
cultivation system.

1.3. Cultivating Potato with Fertilization Applications

Upland potato grow well at an altitude of more than 1000 m above sea level, optimum pH
of 5.6-7.0, temperature 16-18oC, sufficient sunlight and 80-90% humidity. Generally, potatoes are
propagated by tubers. The seed tubers needed for each one hectare of land are 1,200-2,000 kg.
Potato spacing can be 25 x 80 cm or 30 x 70 cm and the plant population is 50,000 ha -1 or 47,000
ha-1 respectively.
Potato require as much as 20-30 tons ha-1 of organic fertilizer. Chemical fertilizers for
potatoes, in the form of Urea 217-326 kg Urea ha-1, 416-555 kg SP 36 ha-1, 166-372 kg KCl ha-1
and 150-180 kg of lime ha-1. Fertilizer for potato plants is carried out: a) After the plants are 20-30
days old since the seeds are planted, tuber growth begins; b) Age 40-50 days begins to enlarge
tubers; c) At 60 days of age, the plants experience optimal enlargement for up to 90 days; d) Age
90-110 days (depending on the planted potato variety) the tuber aging process occurs and the tubers
are ready to be harvested (after all the leaves have dried).
The results of the decomposition of organic matter as organic fertilizer are humus and
nutrients. Humus in mineral soils is a very important soil component. The characteristics of humus
are:
 Colloid size (1nm-10 µm),
 Dark,
 Water absorption reaches 20 x the weight of humus,
 High CEC (300-1400 cmol (+) kg-1),
 Insoluble in water,
 Chelate of metal Cu, Mn, Zn, and other polyvalent cations,
 Buffer soil pH,
 When decomposed, it releases CO2, NH4+, NO3-, H2PO4-, HPO42-,PO43-, and SO4 2-, as well as
micronutrient (Stevenson, 1994).
Humic from organic fertilizers is generally a water-loving compound, so it can be used as
a groundwater preserving agent. Humus also increases the ability to absorb and exchange soil
nutrients. Humus consists of humic and non-humic ingredients (polysaccharides, protein, lignin).
Humic ingredients consist of humin (insoluble in acids and bases), humic acid C10H12O5N (soluble
in bases) and fulvic acid C12H12O9N (soluble in acids and bases). Humic acid has a high molecular
4
weight (22,000-230,000 g mol-1), has brownish black color, is relatively resistant to degradation and
contains a negative charge which is influenced by pH (Stevenson, 1994).
Phosphate microbes (Figure 3) increase the availability of P through: 1) acidification
(citrate, malate, oxalate, gluconate, and acetate), 2) the chelation of Al, Fe, and Ca cations by
organic acid anions containing hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, 3) ligand exchange by organic anions
against phosphate in Al, Fe and Ca, so that free phosphate, and 4) blocking of adsorption sites by
organic acids (Rani et al., 2011). Pseudomonas trivialis, P. putida and P. fluorescens, are able to
dissolve P-anorganic and mineralize P-organic in Pikovskaya, so that it can be used as an inoculum.
The phosphate bacteria inoculum was effective in increasing the P-chemical dissolution of 535-
575%, mineralization of P-organic by 336-387% and reducing the P-absorbed to 15-30% in
Andisols.
The biochemical process that regulates microbial behavior is called signal quorum sensing
(QS). In high populations, bacteria express their specific abilities (virulent, infectious, secrete
toxins, produce certain enzymes, produce pigments, increase motility, and induce sexual
reproduction). Gram-negative bacteria produce QS signals in the form of N-acyl-homoserine
lactones (AHL). Rani et al. (2011) stated that the AHL derivative molecules are N-butanoyl (C 4),
N-hexanoyl (C6), N-octanoyl (C 8), N-decanoyl (C10), and N-dodecanoyl (C12) homoserine
lactones. AHL produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and P. putida are C4-HSL, 3-oxo-C10-HSL,
and 3-oxo-C12-HSL.
The most N-HSL produced by phosphate bacteria (PB) is Butanoyl (C 4) Homoserine
Lactones. The consortium PB (Pseudomonas trivialis, P. putida and P. fluorescens), produced the
most N-AHL. Root extracts of rice, maize, bamboo, banana and peanuts (Figure 3) can be used as a
source of N-AHL (Tamad et al., 2013).

Humic-Fulvic Phosphate Microbe

Signal Quorum Sensing Source

Figure 3. Humic-fulvic, phosphate microbe and signal quorum sensing source

Rooted microbes that act as controllers of biological pathogens, improve plant growth and
maintain soil health are called PGPR (Bouizgarne, 2013). The PGPR mechanism is:
 N fixation and nutrient dissolution,
 Produces hormones, produces ACC-deaminase to suppress ethylene so that the roots are long
and dense,
 Produces antibiotics and siderophores and
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 Produce water soluble vitamins to increase resistance to stress (Hayat et al., 2012).
PGPR microbes include Pseudomonas, Azospirillium, Azotobacter, Klebsiella,
Enterobacter, Alcaligenes, Arthrobacter, Burkhlorderia, Bacillus and Serratia (Saharan and Nehra,
2011). The integration of PGPR with chemical and organic fertilizers ensures a sustainable
agricultural ecosystem. Pseudomonas fluorescens P60 produces amylase, protease, chitinase,
cellulase and gelatinase enzymes to bind Fe ions, producing IAA, antibiotics and siderophores, so
that they have potential as plant pathogen biocontrol and PGPR. Pseudomonas fluorescens P60
suppresses the growth and development of the pathogens Virticillium dahliae, Fusarium oxysporum
f.sp. allii, gladiolii and lycopersici (Soesanto et al., 2010).

II. POTATO CULTIVATION IN ANDISOL WITH FERTILIZER APPLICATION

Potato production in sloped Andisol land can be optimized by making mounds/beds in the
same direction as the contour, utilizing organic and biological agents in organic fertilizers and
balanced chemical fertilizers. Making mounds/beds in the same direction as the contour aims to
reduce erosion on potato planting areas. The use of organic and biological agents in organic
fertilizers aims to increase the availability of nutrients, especially phosphorus and suppress soil
borne diseases. Furthermore, balanced chemical fertilization is aimed at providing nutrients for
plants in the type and amount appropriate to the plant's needs. Based on the conservation principles
and the results of the chemical analysis of Andisol Kaligua Brebes, the suggested cultivation
techniques for potato on slope Andisols are:
 Potato mounds/beds are made in the same direction as the contour or sloping 10% along the
contour,
 Compost organic fertilizer or chicken or other livestock manure enriched with phosphate
microbes and microbes controlling biological pathogens, humic-fulvic and N-AHL, called bio-
organic fertilizer (BOF) at a dose of 20 tons/ha,
 Chemical fertilizer 300 kg Urea, 500 kg SP 36 and 300 kg KCl ha-1.

A. Conservation of Potato Cultivation

2.1. Design of Potato Plant Mounds/Beds System
Generally farmers plant potato in beds or mounds. Conservation techniques in the
manufacture of beds or mounds are needed to maintain soil sustainability and productivity.
Conservation of vegetative soil by utilizing vegetation and mechanical soil conservation in the form
of mounds/beds in the same direction as the contour or 10% incline to the contour (Figure 4).
Mounds or potato beds along the slope encourage intensive erosion. Erosion can be reduced by
making mounds or potato beds along the contour or cutting slopes.

Figure 4. Potato mounds/beds along the contour

2.2. Potato Yield Based on The Direction of Mounds

The direction of potato mounds cultivation in Kaligua Brebes, Central of Java is presented
in Figure 5. It is clear that the shape of potato mounds is different along the slope (A) and potato
mounds along the contour (B). The cropping pattern of potato plants is in the direction of the slope

6
extending from the top slope to the lower slope. Furthermore, the cropping pattern of potato plants
is in the direction of the contour around the slope based on the height.

A. Potato Rolls Down Slope

B. Potato Rolls Down Countur

Figure 5. Potato mounds along the slope and contour in Kaligua Brebes, Central of Java

An illustration of the yield of potato tubers in potato cultivation techniques with a contour
mound pattern is presented in Figure 6. It can be seen that the results of potato tubers in the
cropping pattern with the mounds in the direction of the contour are quite satisfying, both the
number/weight of tubers produced per hectare increases and the size of the tubers is larger and
larger portions of large tubers.

Figure 6. Yield of potato mounds pattern along the contour in Kaligua Brebes, Central of Java

The highest yield of potato tubers was obtained in the potato crop pattern with mounds
along the 10% sloping contour, namely 16.33 tons ha-1, followed by mounds along the contour of
15.9 tons ha-1. The potato mounds along the slopes produced 13.76 tons ha-1 of tubers (Figure 7)
(Tamad et al., 2018 and 2020bc). The reduced erosion in the potato crop pattern with ridges along
the contour is thought to have caused higher P availability, supported by evidence of higher P
uptake of potato plants in the ridges along the contour. The element P in the potato plant plays an
important role in the formation of good tubers.
7
 tons ha-1
17
16,33 b
15,9 b
16

15

14 13,76 a

13

12
L1 L2 L3

Figure 7. Potato yield (tons ha-1) in three cropping patterns based on the direction of the mounds in
Kaligua Brebes, Central of Java. L1 (direction of slope), L2 (direction of inclined contour
10%) and L3 (direction of contour).

Potato yields on the lower slopes were higher than the middle and upper slopes (Figure 8)
(Tamad et al., 2018 and 2020bc). The sedimentation of erosion results on the lower slopes is
thought to cause higher P availability, supported by evidence of higher P uptake of potato plants.
The formation of potato tubers requires the element P. Phosphorus plays a role as a carrier of
photosynthesis to the tubers.

tons ha-1
15.5

14.5

13.5

12.5
L1 L2 Linear (L2) Linear (L2)

Figure 8. Potato yields (tons ha-1) in three cropping patterns based on slope position in Kaligua
Brebes, Central of Java. L1 (upper slope), L2 (middle slope) and L3 (lower slope).

The highest P uptake of potato (149.56 mg P plant -1) was in the cropping pattern of 10%
sloping contours (Figure 9). The conservation method of planting potato along the contour can
reduce soil erosion, so that nutrients and organic matter are used optimally by plants, erosion
transports soil, organic matter and nutrients contained in the soil. The rate of erosion is determined
by the intensity of rain and water flow support. Running water decreases when the amount of water
that soaks into the soil increases. The ridge pattern along the contour increases the amount of water
that seeps into the soil, so that erosion decreases. Thus in the contour ridge pattern, loss of soil,
organic matter and nutrients is reduced. Decreased erosion, one of which is increasing the
availability of nutrients for plants, and phosphorus is no exception.

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 mg P plant-1

Figure 9. Potato phosphorus uptake (mg P plant-1) in three cropping patterns based on the direction
of the mounds in Kaligua Brebes, Central Java. L1 (direction of slope), L2 (direction of
inclined contour 10%) and L3 (direction of contour).

The application of the conservation method with the planting pattern of potato mounds
with contour litter can reduce soil erosion by 75.77% compared to the planting pattern of mounds
along the slopes. Erosion in the potato mounds cropping pattern along the slope causes soil loss of
6.80 tons of soil ha-1 year-1. Soil erosion in the potato cropping pattern with hills along the contour
was 1.98 tons of soil ha-1 year-1 and was 1.32 tons of soil ha-1 year-1 (Figure 10). Tolerable soil loss
in Andisols is 13.5 tons ha-1 year-1, but at least conservation methods can reduce soil erosion.

tons ha-1 year-1

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Figure 10. Soil erosion (tons of soil ha -1 year-1) in three cropping patterns based on the direction of
the ridges in Kaligua Brebes, Central of Java. L1 (direction of slope), L2 (direction of
inclined contour 10%) and L3 (direction of contour).

B. Cultivation of Potato with Organic and Chemical Fertilizers

2.3. BOF Formulation
Biological-organic fertilizer (BOF) is fertilizer in the form of organic material. Organic
material is material that can be recycled/decomposition by microbes into materials and elements
that can be used by plants. Soil organic matter is the accumulation of plant and animal remains that
have undergone decay and re-formation. Organic matter is not stable so it must always be renewed
by adding plant or animal residues. The results of the decomposition of organic matter are in the
form of macro nutrients (N, P, and K), macro-secondary (Ca, Mg, and S) and micro nutrients. The
result of decomposition of organic matter is also in the form of organic acids which can increase
nutrient availability for plants. In the long term, organic matter can improve soil physical, chemical
and biological properties. One type of organic fertilizer is biological organic fertilizer (BOF). BOF

9
is made by mixing livestock manure or other organic matter with other organic and biological
agents. BOF is organic fertilizer:
 Made from chicken/other livestock manure with a moisture content of 10-20%, measuring 80-
90%,
 Added 0.05% (v w-1) microbial phosphate and PGPR (107-9 cfu mL-1),
 Added 6% humic fulvic acid and extracts of potato bark
 Added 5% potato root extract as Signal Quorum Sensing N-AHL.
The steps for making BOF are as follows:
1. Humic-Fulvic Acid Extraction
The source of humic-fulvic is various organic wastes (Tamad et al., 2013). Humic-fulvic
is formed from lignin, cellulose, sugar and amino acids. Humic acid (HA) is part of the
decomposition of organic matter, soluble in bases, but insoluble in acids and water. HA can be
extracted with a weak base (KOH, NaOH) with a concentration of 0.1-0.5 N through shaking
between 4-24 hours. HA was precipitated by adding 6 N HCl to pH 2. HA purification was carried
out by washing with water 3-5 times. HA extraction takes 9-54 hours, depending on the extracted
organic matter (Tan, 1998).
If NaOH is the extractor of HA, it is necessary to wash it to exchange the Na absorbed by
HA with H so that it makes HA more reactive. Saturation of Na or K in HA extraction causes the
reactivity of HA to decrease because the negative charge side is complexed by Na and K. Washing
with HCl and HF is expensive, so it is enough with water that has EC 0 mS/cm. Washing with
water causes the exchange of Na+ or K+ of the extracting solution with H+.
HA dissolves at alkaline pH and settles at acidic pH. Fulvic acid can dissolve in bases or
acids. The separation of humic and fulvic acids is carried out by lowering the pH to pH 2, humic
acid settles, while fulvic acid dissolves. Fulvic acid can be determined from the turbidity level of
the dissolved liquid. The more cloudy the liquid, the more fulvic acid content is. Humic acid (the
part that settles) can be determined quantitatively by means of the humic material at pH 2 centrifuge
at 3500 rpm for 15 minutes. The humic acid precipitate was determined quantitatively by oven at
60˚C until its weight was constant. The determination of humate and fulvic in the extraction of
organic matter is (Tan, 1998):
1. Weigh 10-20 gram sample (absolute dry) diameter <2 mm in Erlenmeyer.
2. Add 50-100 ml of 0.5 M NaOH (extraction).
3. Shake for 2 hours with a shaker machine.
4. Leave it for 1 x 24 hours, then the suspended suspension is removed and the dark supernatant is
transferred to another erlenmeyer.
5. The supernatant is acidified with 6 N HCl to pH 1.0-2.0 while stirring (fractionation).
6. The humic acid precipitate was separated from the fulvic acid supernatant by centrifuge.
7. Humic acid deposits were suspended with 5% HCl + 5% HF (50 ml) solution to clean the ash in
the solution and centrifuged (purification).
8. The humic acid precipitate was washed with distilled water (3-5 times) (furification).
9. Humic acid obtained is oven at 40oC.
10. Calculation of the percentage (weight) of humic acid contained in ingredients.
2. Preparation of Phosphate Microbe Culture
The microbial phosphate (MP) consortium Pseudomonas trivialis, P. putida and P.
fluorescens were grown on Pikovskaya for 5 days (end of log phase) (Tamad, 2020a). The MP
population was determined by the Standard Plate Count (SPC) method with a minimum population
of 107 cfu mL-1.

3. Preparation of PGPR Cultures

The PGPR used were P. fluorescens P60 and Trichoderma spp. Ginger isolates were
cultured in King's B liquid media and stored at a temperature of ± 20°C (Soetanto et al., 2013). The
10
PGPR population was determined by the Standard Plate Count (SPC) method with a minimum
population of 107 cfu mL-1.
4. Extraction of Plant Roots as Quorum Sensing Signal
Plant root extract as a signal quorum sensing microbial phosphate (Tamad et al., 2020a).
Root samples were dissolved in acetonitrile to obtain the N-AHL compound as a signal for quorum
sensing for phosphate bacteria (Rani et al., 2011).
5. Making Biological-Organic Fertilizer (BOF)
Organic waste and/or livestock manure is added with 10 mL kg -1 of humic-fulvic (HF),
bacterial phosphate (107 cfu g-1) and PGPR (107 cfu g-1) and 5% Signal Quorum Sensing. BOF
standard according to RMA/PERMENTAN No. 261 of 2019 concerning organic fertilizers and
biological fertilizers.
BOF is made from the main ingredients of compost or livestock manure enriched with
phosphate microbial culture the collection of the Laboratory of Soil/Land Resources and the BIO
P60 culture a collection of the Laboratory of Plant Protection Agriculture Faculty of Jenderal
Soedirman University Purwokerto Indonesia. Besides that, the main ingredients are also added
humic-fulvic and N-AHL to increase the effectiveness of microbes in BOF. The BOF materials are
then mixed with a granulator (Figure 11).

A. BOF Culture B. BOF Granulator

Figure 11. Culture and BOF granulator

2.4. Potato Yield Utilization of BOF and Balanced Chemical Fertilizer

Kaligua Brebes farmers, Central of Java, use organic fertilizers in the form of livestock
manure and mushroom media waste. Kaligua potato farmers use organic fertilizer on Andisol as
much as 20 tons ha-1. Organic fertilizer is given a week before planting, by mixing it on each
potato mound (Figure 12).

Figure 12. Organic fertilization on potato crop fields

The components of BOF include microbial phosphate and PGPR. Phosphate and PGPR
microbial cultures can also be applied independently by spraying the potato mounds. Phosphate and
PGPR microbial cultures were sprayed on potato plants 2 weeks after planting (Figure 13).

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 Figure 13. BOF Biological agent application

Application of chicken manure enriched with organic and biological agents to BOF
increases potato yield (Figure 14) (Tamad et al., 2018 and 2020bc). Cultivation of potatoes using
BOF at a dose of 20 tons ha-1 increased the yield of potato tubers by 2 tons ha-1, compared to
cultivation of potatoes using chicken manure which produced 15 tons ha-1 of potato tubers.
tons ha-1
17

16

15

14

13

P1 P2 Linear (P2) Linear (P2) P3

-1
A. Potato yield (tons ha ), year I (2018) BOF application

tons ha-1
16,35c
16.5
15,34bc 15,18bc
14,96bc

14.5
13,63b

12.5
11,53a

10.5
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6

B. Potato yield (tons ha-1), year II (2020) BOF application

Figure 14. Potato yield (tons ha-1) of application of six doses of organic fertilizer in Kaligua Brebes,
Central Java. P1 = 20 tons of chicken manure ha -1, P2-P6 = 20, 15, 10, 5 and 2.5 tons of
BOF ha-1.

Balanced chemical fertilizers increase potato crop production. The balanced chemical
fertilizer package for Andisol Kaligua Brebes is 300 kg urea, 500 kg SP-36 and 200 kg KCl ha -1.
The yield obtained in the package was more than the fertilization that the farmers gave, namely 1
ton of ZA and 250 kg of Phonska ha-1 (Figure 15). Fertilization of chemical fertilizers that are
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balanced in number and type produces more potato tubers (Tamad et al., 2018 and 2020bc).
Chemical fertilization can increase the availability of nutrients for plants in the soil. Urea
fertilization provides nitrogen (N), SP-36 provides phosphorus (P) and KCl provides potassium (K)
for plants. Availability of sufficient amounts of N, P and K nutrients supports optimal potato yield
growth.

tons ha-1
15.6
15,54 b
15,52 b

15,45 b

15.4
15,34 a

15.2
K1 K2 K3 K4
Figure 15. Potato yield (tons ha-1) in the application of four doses of chemical fertilizers, in Kaligua
Brebes, Central of Java. K1 (1 ton ZA and 250 kg Phonska ha -1), K2 (300 kg Urea, 500
kg SP-36 and 200 kg KCl ha-1), K3 (1/2 K2) and K4 (/ 1/4 K2)

The application of balanced chemical fertilizers increased the P uptake of potato plants
(Figure 16), compared to the farmer pattern chemical fertilizers. Fertilization of chemical fertilizers
(Urea, SP-36 and KCl) on the Kaligua Andisol soil based on the results of the analysis of soil
nutrients for the needs of potato plants. The elements, N, P and K in the soil work together to
increase the uptake of nutrients, including P by potato plants. The increased P uptake of potato
plants supports higher potato tuber yield, because P is one of the nutrients that is needed in the
formation of potato tubers.
mg P plant-1

Figure 16. Uptake of potato phosphorus (mg P plant -1) in the application of four doses of chemical
fertilizers, in Kaligua Brebes, Central Java. K1 (1 ton ZA and 250 kg Phonska ha-1), K2
(300 kg Urea, 500 kg SP-36 and 200 kg KCl ha-1), K3 (1/2 K2) and K4 (/ 1/4 K2)
III. CONCLUSION
Efforts to increase the productivity and sustainability of sloping Andisol land in Indonesia
for potato cultivation are by applying technology for making mounds in the same direction as the
contour, utilizing POH and fertilizing balanced chemical fertilizers. The results of the application of

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the technology package showed that the highest potato tuber yields in the cropping pattern with
10% sloping contours were 16.33 tons ha-1 (increased by 2 tons ha-1). The use of bio-organic
fertilizers (BOF) as much as 20 tons ha-1 increased potato yields by 2 tons ha-1. Fertilization of 300
kg urea, 500 kg SP-36 and 200 kg KCl ha-1 balanced increases potato yield by 0.2 tons ha-1.
Soil erosion in the treatment of potato mounds along the sloping contour of 10% was 1.32
tons of soil ha-1 year-1, while erosion in the cropping pattern along the slopes was 6.8 tons of soil
ha-1 year-1. The pattern of potato mounds along the sloping contour of 10% reduced erosion 5 times.

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Tamad was born in Indramayu west of Java Indonesia, October 27, 1965. The author
is a lecturer at the Agrotechnology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jenderal
Soedirman Purwokerto, Indonesia in field Soil Science. The author completed his bachelor and
master education at IPB University in Bogor West of Java in the field of Soil Science; and doctor at
Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta in Soil Science. The authors' areas of expertise focus on
Biofertilizer and Bioremediation. There are 3 Q2 international publications on the topic of
phosphate biofertilizers. The author has 2 patents related to culture and bio-phosphate fertilizers.

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