Modification of land requirements (soil and climate) for specific growth of pepper (Piper nigrum L.) in East Luwu Regency

Efforts to increase the productivity of the pepper plant in East Luwu Regency as a leading plantation commodity efficiently can be done through the development of the pepper commodity on suitable lands to achieve optimal productivity. The land suitability criteria for modified pepper plants was based on the Indonesian Center for Agricultural Land Resources Development and Research. This study aims to modify the land suitability criteria for specific locations in East Luwu Regency. The method used in determining the range of land suitability criteria is the deductive method. The location points were determined by purposive sampling technique, namely at locations with high, medium, and low pepper production. The results showed that the range of location climatic characteristics criteria, among others, rainfall (mm) >2.000 were classified as S1 (very suitable), <2,000 and >3,000 were classified as unsuitable (N). The daily mean temperature of 22.6-32.1oC classified as very suitable (S1), and >34oC classified as unsuitable (N). The characteristics of the landscape and soil include 3-8% slope, good and moderate drainage, medium texture, slightly fine and fine, coarse fragments <5%, soil depth >100 cm, pH H2O 5.6-<6 and C-organic >1.9% is classified as very suitable (S1), while slope> 30% with very inhibited and fast drainage, coarse texture, coarse fragments> 5%, soil depth <50 cm, pH H2O <5.2 and >8.0, with content c-organic <0.4% is classified as unsuitable (N).