| Abstrak/Abstract |
1 Project Summary
The coastal and upland agricultural systems of Indonesia support the livelihoods of the majority of rural people and vary in intensity from predominantly low-value rice production to highly intensive mixed rotations including high value vegetables. Indonesia’s most significant vegetable commodities are shallot and chilli which are integral components of Indonesia’s unique cuisine.
Despite yield improvements the profitability of traditional rice-only cropping systems has dropped substantially over the last 30 years. The heavy reliance on lower-value cropping denies opportunity for rural poverty reduction and diversification away from solely rice-cropping is important. Vegetable cropping offers the best opportunity for reducing rural poverty, however, vegetable based production systems suffer from a large range of cropping constraints that have negative economic, social and environmental impacts. Crop productivity losses relate to a large range of factors including degraded soil properties, climatic impacts, poor agronomic management, biotic stresses and excessive inputs of pesticides and fertilisers. The excessive use of chemical results in undefined exposure risks to poor rural workers.
The project addresses key issues and challenges associated with the safe, sustainable production and intensification of high-value vegetable cropping options (particularly shallot and chilli) in the sensitive coastal agroecosystems.
Excessive application of mineral fertiliser is a serious issue where rates of nitrogen application are about 300 kg N ha-1 whilst whole crop uptake is about 80 kg N ha-1 and loss pathways and quantification of losses is not defined. Similarly, excessive application of pesticides with up to 25 sprayings of multiple products over a 55 day cropping cycle is a serious concern. Further unresolved agronomic soil pathogen and seed quality issues impact greatly on crop yield.
In response to this the project has six specific objectives including to:
• Identify pathways for nutrient loss and develop strategies to reduce excessive fertiliser inputs in the coastal agroecosystems.
• Mitigate the impact soil pathogens and improve soil biology in coastal vegetable production.
• Evaluate the potential impact of undiagnosed soil and nutrient constraints to vegetable production.
• To develop multi-faceted strategies for the management of Pepper yellow leaf curl virus (PYLCV).
• Optimise and extend strategies to reduce excessive pesticide use and improve efficacy in vegetable systems.
• Evaluate the impact of improved agronomic practices for productivity and seed production in the priority allium crops.
To facilitate adoption of the project outcomes a range of training packages and activities will be implemented including dedicated field schools, field days and Training of professional staff (Train the Trainer) to allow broader longer term project outcome dissemination. The project will facilitate the training and skills development of Indonesian scientists particularly young scientists through advanced training courses, conferences and postgraduate study opportunities.
The project assembles a broad team of researchers from key government agencies including the Soil Research institute, Indonesian Vegetable Research Institute, the BPTP and Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Queensland). Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bogor Agricultural University and University of Queensland are high quality world recognized agricultural teaching and research institutions.
The planned outcome of this project is to reduce fertiliser and pesticide use in shallot-chilli-rice production systems and provide farmer and professional training on best management practices which will improve farmer profitability, food safety and deleterious health risks to rural workers. The project will further develop strategies to reduce the impact of key pathogens on shallot-chilli production and through the trialling of a pilot shallot-seed supply scheme evaluate the opportunity for developing a commercial shallot seed scheme.
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