BPTP Balitbangtan develops new super rice on tidal land

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Agricultural Technology Assessment Center (BPTP) of the Agriculture Ministry's Agricultural Research and Development Agency (Balitbangtan) of South Kalimantan has succeeded in developing new super rice varieties (VUB) on tidal land in Barito Kuala District.

Head of the BPTP Balitbangtan of South Kalimantan Dr. Muhammad Amin here on Tuesday said that in the last four months, the agency has carried out dissemination using counseling method in the form of demonstration plot on farmer's land.

It became a pilot of VUB cultivation on a quite dynamic tidal land by applying several introduced technologies, including site-specific balanced fertilization, the use of VUB, and integrated pest control which tends to be easy for farmers to apply.

One of the super varieties introduced was Baroma that has a long shape of grain because one of its parents is Basmati rice from India.

"The long, slender shape of grain and the sweet taste are the favorites of the Banjar people, which is owned by Baroma rice," he said.

Baroma rice is not specifically designated for tidal land agroecosystem (type B). 

However, he said, Baroma which was planted on an area of 3 hectares tidal land by Rukun Tani Farmers Group in Karang Bunga Village, Barito Kuala District, could be harvested with an average yield of 5.6 kg in two plots.

"This means the average productivity in 1 ha of paddy field is 8.9 tons of GK (dry harvested rice)," he said.

Based on the variety description, the age of Baroma rice was 113 days after sowing, with an amylose content of 25.5 percent (pera).

Grain content is heavy, if the wind blows slightly strong it will cause the plant to fall. It can be overcome by fertilizing KCl according to dose and fertilizing Silica.

Muhammad Amin hopes the Baroma super rice from the Agricultural Research and Development can be widely developed, especially in South Kalimantan.

In addition, Barito Kuala District can be a breeding ground for Baroma rice seeds in South Kalimantan.

"Finally the downstream activities of rice technology innovation in the tidal swampland by BPTP Balitbangtan for 4 months reaped satisfactory results," he said.

Head of South Kalimantan Food Crops and Horticulture Agency Ir Syamsir Rahman welcomed this activity and hoped that the innovation developed could increase farmers' income.

"Hopefully many young farmers will be interested in the application of technology that was proven to be profitable. Hopefully, Barito Kuala will become the center of rice development and even to export to foreign countries," he said.

Head of the Barito Kuala Agriculture, Food Crops, and Horticulture Agency Ir Murniati expressed her joy to the success achieved by farmers.

"The Baroma rice is very suitable for South Kalimantan people because of its high production, pera rice taste, fragrant aroma, and long slender rice shape like local rice," she said.

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