Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Tanaman nilam dikenal sebagai salah satu jenis tanaman penghasil minyak atsiri yang memiliki nilai ekonomi tinggi karena telah menjadi komoditi bisnis yang sangat baik di dunia perdagangan global. Walaupun secara ekonomi, usaha tanaman nilam di Provinsi Aceh akan memberikan harapan yang cukup besar bagi pendapatan masyarakat, namun di sisi lain produkstivitas dan kualitas nilam Aceh masih rendah jika dibandingkan dengan standar nasional Indonesia. Banyak faktor yang mempengaruhi produksi dan kualitas nilam seperti iklim, jenis tanah, dan teknik budidaya. Studi ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji karakteristik tanah, pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman nilam, serta kandungan patchouli alcohol (PA) dan kondisi sosial ekonomi masyarakat pada berbagai pola tanam di areal penanaman nilam rakyat di wilayah Barat Selatan Aceh yang meliputi Kabupaten Aceh Barat, Kabupaten Aceh barat Daya, Kabupaten Aceh Selatan, dan Kabupaten Aceh Jaya Provinsi Aceh.
Penelitian dilakukan menggunakan metode deskriptif yang didasarkan pada hasil observasi lapangan, analisis laboratorium, analisis spasial, dan analisis sosial ekonomi. Observasi lapangan dilakukan untuk pengamatan dan pengambilan sampel tanah, tanaman, dan petani nilam pada lokasi-lokasi yang telah ditetapkan berdasarkan metode perposif (perpossive sampling) yaitu pada lokasi yang telah ada tanaman nilam. Setiap kabupaten dipilih tiga kecamatan sentra produksi nilam dan di setiap kecamatan dipilih secara random 15 kebun nilam milik petani setempat yang dibedakan atas tiga klaster berdasarkan sistem (pola) tanam yaitu sistem monokultur (monoculture), tumpang sari (intercropping), dan kebun campuran (mixed garden) untuk diambil sampel tanah, sampel tanaman, dan data produksi nilam yang sekaligus turut dilakukan wawancara/survei kondisi sosial ekonomi terhadap petani/masyarakat setempat. Sampel tanah yang diambil meliputi sampel komposit yang diambil pada kedalaman 0-20 cm dan sampel tanah utuh dengan menggunakan ring sampel. Sampel-sampel tanah komposit digunakan untuk analisis sifat-sifat kimia tanah yang meliputi pH tanah (pH H2O), N total (metode Kjeldahl), C organik (metode Walkley dan Black), K dapat ditukar (K-dd) yang ditetapkan dengan ekstraksi 1N NH4OAc pH7, dan penentuan tekstur tanah tiga fraksi (pasir, debu, dan liat) menggunakan metode pipet. Sampel tanah utuh digunakan untuk penentuan sifat fisik tanah yang meliputi kerapatan volume (bulk density), porositas, permeabilitas, dan indeks stabilitas agregat. Sifat-sifat tanah yang dianalisis tersebut merupakan parameter yang digunakan untuk menilai indeks kualitas tanah (SQI) menurut metode Mausbach & Seybold (1989). Kedalaman solum tanah diukur dengan menggunakan bor tanah. Sampel tanaman nilam yang diambil adalah daun, batang, dan akar segar yang terdapat di lokasi kebun milik petani. Sampel tanaman ini, setelah ditimbang bobot segar, maka setiap sampel tanaman ini dikeringkan di dalam oven pada temperature 70-80 0C untuk ditimbang dalam keadaan kering. Untuk analisis kadar alcohol nilam (Patchouli alcohol = PA) digunakan biomassa kering dan hasil minyaknya diperoleh dengan menggunakan alat penyulingan (metode destilasi). Kandungan PA dalam minyak nilam diukur di laboratorium dengan menggunakan GC-MS (gass cromatrophy-mass spectrophotometer). Karakteristik petani dan kondisi sosial ekonomi yang dinilai pada setiap lokasi dan petani sampel meliputi: usia, pengelaman, pendidikan, dan jumlah tanggungan kelurga sedangkan untuk analisis usahatani dilakukan perhitungan terhadap nilai biaya penerimaan (RC rasio), titik impas (break event pont = atau BEP ) yang dibedakan atas BEP harga, BEP unit, dan BEP lahan dari usaha budidaya nilam.
Hasil penelitian secara umum menunjukkan bahwa kondisi tanah, sistem budidaya (pola tanam) serta kondisi sosial ekonomi masyarakat di wilayah Barat Selatan Aceh cukup beragam karena adanya perbedaan karakteristik tanah dan sistem (pola) budidaya tanaman nilam. Studi kasus di Kabupaten Aceh Barat menunjukkan bahwa kualitas tanah, pertumbuhan nilam, dan kadar PA memperlihatkan nilai yang berbeda antara sistem tanam nilam. Produksi biomassa nilam tertinggi terdapat pada pola tanam kebun campuran, sedangkan potensi kandungan PA tertinggi diperoleh pada pola tumpang sari (multiple cropping) dengan potensi hasil minyak 1.94±0.11 t ha-1. Kandungan PA yang dicapai masih di bawah standar nasional Indonesia (SNI) yaitu berkisar dari 21.47±0.65% hingga 27.68±0.90%. Dari aspek sosial ekonomi, berdasarkan hasil analisis yang telah dilakukan, diperoleh nilai RC ratio, BEP harga, BEP unit, dan BEP lahan yang cukup baik dan memenuhi syarat serta layak jika usaha budidaya nilam dilakukan dan dilanjutkan oleh masyarakat di Kabupaten Aceh Barat. Hasil serupa juga ditemukan pada studi di kawasan lainnya di Barat Selatan Aceh (Aceh Barat Daya, Aceh Selatan, dan Aceh Jaya).

Kata Kunci: Nilam Aceh, sistem pola tanam, indeks kualitas tanah, pertumbuhan tanaman, patchouli alcohol, pendapatan nilam

Patchouli is known as one of the plants that produce essential oils with high economic value, having become a highly sought-after commodity in the global trade market. Although economically, the patchouli farming business in Aceh Province holds significant promise for the community's income, the productivity and quality of Aceh's patchouli remain low compared to Indonesia's national standards. Numerous factors affect patchouli production and quality, including climate, soil type, and cultivation techniques. This study aims to examine the soil characteristics, growth, and yield of patchouli plants, as well as the content of patchouli alcohol (PA) and the socio-economic conditions of the community under various planting patterns in the people's patchouli cultivation areas in the West- South region of Aceh, covering Aceh Barat Regency, Aceh Barat Daya Regency, Aceh Selatan Regency, and Aceh Jaya Regency in Aceh Province. The research was conducted using descriptive methods based on field observations, laboratory analysis, spatial analysis, and socio-economic analysis. Field observations involved observing and collecting soil, plant, and farmer samples from predetermined locations using purposive sampling, focusing on areas where patchouli is already cultivated. In each regency, three main production sub- districts were selected, and in each sub-district, 15 local farmers' patchouli gardens were randomly chosen. These were classified into three clusters based on the planting system: monoculture, intercropping, and mixed gardens. Soil, plant, and production data samples were collected, alongside interviews/surveys regarding the socio-economic conditions of the farmers/local community. Soil samples included composite samples taken at a depth of 0-20 cm and intact soil samples using a ring sample. Composite soil samples were analyzed for soil chemical properties, including soil pH (pH H2O), total nitrogen (Kjeldahl method), organic carbon (Walkley and Black method), exchangeable potassium (K-dd) extracted with 1N NH4OAc pH 7, and soil texture determination using the pipette method for sand, silt, and clay fractions. Intact soil samples were used to determine physical soil properties, such as bulk density, porosity, permeability, and aggregate stability index. These analyzed soil properties were used to assess the soil quality index (SQI) according to the Mausbach & Seybold (1989) method. Soil solum depth was measured using a soil auger. Patchouli plant samples, including leaves, stems, and fresh roots, were collected from farmers' gardens. These plant samples were weighed for fresh weight and then oven-dried at 70-80 °C for dry weight measurement. For analyzing patchouli alcohol content (PA), dry biomass was used, and the oil yield was obtained using a distillation apparatus (distillation method). PA content in patchouli oil was measured in the laboratory using GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry). The farmers' characteristics and socio-economic conditions assessed at each location and sample farmer included age, experience, education, and family dependents. For farm business analysis, calculations were made for the revenue cost (RC ratio), break-even point (BEP) differentiated by price, unit, and land BEP in patchouli farming. The study results generally indicate that soil conditions, cultivation systems (planting patterns), and the socio-economic conditions of the community in the West-South region of Aceh are quite diverse due to differences in soil characteristics and patchouli cultivation systems. The case study in West Aceh Regency showed that soil quality, patchouli growth, and PA content varied between planting systems. The highest patchouli biomass production was found in mixed garden systems, while the highest PA content potential was obtained in intercropping systems, with an oil yield potential of 1.94±0.11 t ha-1. The PA content achieved was still below the Indonesian national standard (SNI), ranging from 21.47±0.65% to 27.68±0.90%. From a socio-economic perspective, the analysis results revealed favorable RC ratio, BEP price, BEP unit, and BEP land values, indicating that patchouli farming is viable and worthwhile for the community in West Aceh Regency. Similar results were also found in studies in other areas of West-South Aceh (Southwest Aceh, South Aceh, and Aceh Jaya). Keywords: Aceh Patchouli, planting system patterns, soil quality index, plant growth, patchouli alcohol, patchouli income