EVALUASI KESESUAIAN LAHAN UNTUK BUDIDAYA TANAMAN KAKAO (Theobroma cacao L.) DI DAS GUMBASA HULU, KABUPATEN DONGGALA

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to determine actual and potential land suitability classes aggregately for cacao plantation in the Gumbasa upper catchment area and relationship between the actual land suitability class and cacao yield. This study was carried out in Gumbasa upper catchment area of Palolo in Donggala which is situated between 12000”-12017” East Longitudes and 115” West Latitudes. Soil and cacao yield were surveyed using a stratified random sampling technique. Disturbed soil samples were obtained in composite from each land unit which was generated by overlaying several maps such as that of topography, land use and climate. The relationship between the actual land suitability indices and the cacao yield were analyzed using a simple linear regression. Results showed that, in aggregate, the Gumbasa upper catchment area might be classified into class S3-ctsf for the actual land suitability and into class S3-csf for the potential land suitability. The relationship between the actual land suitability indices and the cacao yield was represented by an equation of Y = 390.40 + 2248X (r2 = 0.47) where Y was the cacao yield (kg/ha/year) and X was the actual land suitability indices.