Land Suitability for Cajuput Development and its Inference on Silviculture Strategy Kesesuaian lahan untuk pengembangan tanaman kayu putih dan implikasinya terhadap teknik silvikultur

Cajuput is a plant that plays a key role for forest industry development. Its leaves contain essential oil and become one of the non-timber forest products. The productivity of cajuput leaves is affected by certain factors, one of them are the level of land suitability. This study identified the land suitability for cajuput establishment and its inference on silviculture strategy. Study location was situated in Forest Resort Gubugrubuh, Gunungkidul District. Data collection was conducted in 3 site that was converted as the priority site of cajuput plantation namely site 75, site 78, and site 80. We used six variables of land attributes covering altitude, slope, rainfall, temperature, soil acidity, and soil organic carbon. Land suitability was determined by qualitative approach using storie and root square method. Results demonstrated the level of land. land suitability was classified into N1 (currently not suitable) referring to the storie method while it was categorized into S3 (marginally suitable) according to the root square method. This study also recorded the difference land attributes which became the limiting factors of cajuput growth in every site. The best silviculture strategies for supporting cajuput development in each site were terrace construction, fertilization, and spacing management. © 2020, Pusat Penelitian Lingkungan Hidup - Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat Institut Pertanian Bogor (PPLH-LPPM IPB). All rights reserved.