"Organic mulch tape is a technology that replaces plastic mulch, which is considered environmentally unfriendly, because it cannot decompose properly," Dr. Rita Parmawati informed in Surabaya, East Java, on Thursday.
The disadvantages of using plastic mulch are reduced plant growth and yields, increased pest attacks, greater microplastic contamination, waterlogging, loss of soil structure, as well as reduced activity of soil microorganisms.
According to the lecturer, the new technology will be applied when the second planting season approaches in Malaka District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), which has abundant supply of banana waste.
"Therefore, we utilize water hyacinth and paitan leaves together to be crushed, chopped, and molded into a 25-centimeter-wide sheet," she said.
Its function, she explained, is to suppress weed growth and reduce the rate of evaporation by up to 40 percent. When exposed to the sun, the organic mulch tape will decompose into fertilizer, she added.
Currently, the process of applying mulch tape is being carried out on a laboratory scale and is at the socialization stage with the Regent of Malaka Regency and several farmer groups as well as heads of departments in Malaka District.
Malaka District has been chosen as the location for applying organic mulch tape technology because, as per data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), it has low agricultural growth.
Rice productivity in the area decreased in the period from 2020 to 2022 due to issues in the supply of rice seeds and other agricultural problems involving weeds, evaporation, soil temperature, and irrigation systems, among other things.
"We will go to Malaka at the end of July (2024). For the process of making mulch tape for 10 hectares of land, we are working with the machine factory PT Widjaya Teknik Indonesia (Witech)," she informed.
To ensure the sustainability of the technology, the local community will get help in making organic mulch tape, starting from the introduction of materials, chopping, making tape pulp, and drying, to pressing.
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Translator: Astrid Faidlatul Habibah/Yashinta Difa P
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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