FARMING INPUTS AND WATER STRESS IMPACT ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF GARLIC (ALLIUM SATIVUM L.) IN THE RAINFED HIGHLANDS OF EASTERN LOMBOK, INDONESIA

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a horticultural commodity of high economic value in Indonesia. West Nusa Tenggara (WNT) Province is one of the largest garlic producing regions in Indonesia with 45% to the national harvest area. Garlic is mostly grown in irrigated highlands; however domestic production is very limited and only supplies at most 5% of domestic demand. Currently, garlic farming is facing the problem of decreasing soil fertility, the use of high inputs of inorganic fertilizers, and excessive chemical pesticides. Therefore, it is beneficial to investigate garlic cultivation input packages that may reduce inputs and so lower production costs in rainfed highlands which are prospective areas for garlic. The input-saving packages investigated were reduced use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides; up to 50% from farmers' practices. The four applied input packages were P1 (farmers' existing practices) and reduced and modified input packages P2, P3 and P4. The experiment was conducted in the Sembalun Highlands (1200 m above see level) of Eastern Lombok, WNT Province during the growing season of 2018 on 0.4 ha of rainfed land using a completely randomized block design. Parameters measured were agronomic performance and productivity. Results showed that there were no significant differences in the agronomic growth and productivity of garlic from the four input packages applied. However, the experiment had sub-optimal yield due to the early onset of the dry season a because of climate change.