Pemetaan Status Kesuburan Tanah pada Lahan Cabai Merah (Capsicum annuum L.) di Desa Lubuk Cuik Kecamatan Lima Puluh Pesisir Kabupaten Batu Bara

Abstract

MUHAMMAD IKHMAL. Mapping of Soil Fertility Status in Red Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Fields in Lubuk Cuik Village, Lima Puluh Pesisir Subdistrict, Batu Bara Regency (Supervised by Prof. Dr. MARIANI BR. SEMBIRING, SP., MP.) Lubuk Cuik Village, located in Lima Puluh Pesisir Subdistrict, Batu Bara Regency, is well known as one of the main production centers for red chili in Batu Bara Regency, North Sumatra Province. Although Lubuk Cuik Village has become a red chili production center in Batu Bara Regency, its potential has not yet been fully optimized. Understanding the soil fertility status in red chili fields is crucial for improving red chili cultivation and production, as well as for influencing future agricultural practices. This study aims to map the soil fertility status of red chili (Capsicum annuum L.) fields in Lubuk Cuik Village, Lima Puluh Pesisir Subdistrict, Batu Bara Regency. The research was conducted from November 2024 to February 2025. A survey method was used with a scale of 1:25,000, employing simple random sampling, and soil analysis was carried out at PT. SOCFINDO. The observed parameters included soil pH (H2O), soil organic carbon (Walkley and Black), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC, NH4OAc pH 7), Base Saturation (exchangeable bases/CEC x 100%), total soil nitrogen (Kjeldahl method), total phosphorus (HCl 25%), and total potassium (HCl 25%). Soil fertility status mapping and nutrient distribution mapping were performed using QGIS 3.34. The results showed that the soil fertility status at the study site was low due to limiting factors such as slightly acidic soil pH, low organic carbon content, and very low total soil nitrogen content.