The effect of sheet-pipe technology aplication on soil properties, rice growth, yield and prospect to increase planting index

Sheet pipe technology is a drainage and irrigation underground system. This study aimed to understand the effect of sheet pipe technology on growth, yield and prospect to increase planting index (PI) on irrigated rice field. The research conducted in Sukamandi Experimental Station, West Java on 2019 to 2020. It used nested design with five replications. First was water management as nested factor, i.e.: Sheet pipe and (2) no sheet pipe. Second was cropping system, i.e.: (1) paddy–paddy, (2) paddy–paddy–soybean, (3) paddy–paddy–paddy, using Inpari 43 GSR Agritan. The result shown that (1) The effect of sheet pipe was strongly influenced by the season, especially in the dry season. (2) Sheet pipe supported better tiller ability, leaf area index, biomass, plant height, root volume, number of panicle per hill, number of grains per panicle and yield. (3) Increasing PI from two to three using sheet pipe technology could increase the total yield by 11.54% (paddy-paddy-soybean) and 26.94% (paddy-paddy-paddy) compared with no sheet pipe. Meanwhile, the paddy-paddy also provided total yield of 10.86% compared with no sheet pipe, and (4) Sheet pipe increased soil pH, bacterial aerobic, rhizobium and nitrogen fixing bacteria, and soil respiration.