Application of Conservation Techniques in the Potato Planting Area in Jeneberang Watershed

Potato plants grow well on a highland with an altitude above 1000 m above sea level. Low potato productivity achieved by farmers isdue to less than optimalcrop cultivation technique used. Land management on the highland with steep slopes generally do not implement appropriate soil and water conservation techniques causing land degradation due to erosion. This study aims to measure the rate of erosion and potato production in various cropping models or soil conservation techniques in the Jeneberang watershed. Four models of cropping were applied namely 1. Planting in the direction of the slopes which generally applied by local farmers in the study area, 2. Planting across the slopes, 3. Planting across the slopes with seedbeds of plant, 4. Planting across the slopes with trench in every 5 meters. Erosion rate measurement was carried out by creating erosion plot with a length of 22 meters and a width of 4 meters. The results show that the cropping model using conservation techniques had highly significant effect on the erosion rate. The highest erosion rates indicated by the model of planting in the direction of slope (model applied by the potato farmers) compared to other models of planting. Potato production was highest when planted using contour farming with two lanes of plant beds.