Diverse influential factors for the growth and juice sugar production of Arenga pinnata plantation

Abstract

This paper reported the environment study that influenced the growth of the arenga pinnata plantation in Tapanuli Selatan Regency of Indonesia. Three reasons that made this research play an important; it revealed the factors that affect the growth of Arenga pinnata; gave the calculation of production of this plant; and contributed to farmers, local government, and researcher.  Its methodology applied two ways; one was an observation in the field work for the growth based on the altitude position of plantation sites; second included a chemical analysis and calculation of juice production of Arenga pinnata. Data found showed that the plantation sites affect the production of Arenga pinnata juice and sugar. If the site was on the 0-400 m above the sea level it made the low growth and less juice production of Arenga pinnata. In contrast, the highest growth and best juice production were found in the plantation site above 800 m from the sea level.  Analysis reported that the higher the pH the production of juice and the higher amount of sugar produced and the decreasing of C-organic soil was decreased C or N ratio which was made N easy to decompose and was accelerated N usage. the range of K at the study sites is between 0.11-2.35 and it can be seen that the relationship between K and the production of juice and the amount of sugar produced generally has a positive relationship. It concluded that the influential factors for the growth and juice and sugar production of Arenga pinnata plantation included the position of sites, pH, c-organic soil, the elements of N and K of soil.