Soil salinity is one of the major obstacles that is limiting the growth and yield of groundnut. This study aims to investigate the effect of growth-promoting fungi, Trichoderma, on groundnut plants that were cultivated in saline conditions. Five different Trichoderma isolates were grown in four different NaCl concentrations. Selected Trichoderma were then applied to the groundnut seeds and their growth and development were monitored during the study. Growth inhibition, volatile organic compounds, chlorophylls, carotenoids, total phenolics and flavonoids, and minerals were assessed between the Trichoderma treatments. Increasing the salt concentration from 0.25–0.75 M decreased the growth of the Trichoderma isolates. The amounts and profiles of the volatile organic compounds from the T. asperellum isolate were significantly different to those in the T. virens isolate. In the vegetative growth stage, increased chlorophyll content was recorded in both the T. asperellum and T. virens-treated groundnut. The leaves that were obtained from the groundnut that was treated with T. virens T.v4 contained significantly higher indole-3-acetic acid (420 µg IAA/g) than the same plants’ roots (113.3 µg IAA/g). Compared to the control groundnut, the T. asperellum T.a8-treated groundnut showed increased phenolics (31%) and flavonoids (43%) and increased shoots and biomass weight at the generative growth stage. This study demonstrates that Trichoderma, with their plant growth promotion ability, could potentially be used to improve the growth of groundnut growing under salinity stress. Importantly, salt-tolerant Trichoderma could be regarded as a beneficial and sustainable way to improve the survival of salt-sensitive crops.

The serious problems of sandy soils for crop development are low water-holding capacity, nutrient retention, and low content of all nutrients. The objective of the study was to increase the nutrient content of sandy soil and evaluate nutrient types that mostly affect the high shallot yield with reasonable economic values. The field experiment was conducted on the upland sandy loam soil. Six treatments consisting of complete nutrients, N-, P-, K-, Mg- and S-omission tests were arranged in a randomly completed block design with four replicates. The observed parameters included soil physicochemical properties, tissue nutrient content, growth, yield, and input-output of shallot cultivation. The results showed that N, P, K, Mg and S application successfully increased shallot bulb, achieving 11.43 t ha⁻¹ on sandy soil. The order of shallot tissue content was K > N > P~Mg > S, where the S, P, N, and Mg are limiting factors, as revealed by significantly lower relative yield (varying from 79 to 88%). The highest weight loss during storage occurred for S-omission treatment (40 to 60%), indicating insufficient S tissue is the most responsible for the quality of shallot. The complete nutrient treatment gave the highest income (7446.09 USD ha⁻¹) with a revenue cost ratio of 2.41 compared to other treatments. The tolerance limit for price reductions that do not cause losses was 58.59%.

Sorghum is an important food crop commodity in the midst of climate change conditions and the threat of a global food crisis. Sorghum, which has an adaptive advantage to all land conditions, is suitable for use as a food substitute for rice and wheat. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the economic value, farmers’ perceptions, and specific strategies for developing sorghum in Central Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The research was conducted in Wonogiri Regency, Central Java, and Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta from September to November 2022. The research was carried out through the observation of 120 respondents with indicators of farming characteristics and farmers’ perceptions of sorghum development, as well as focus group discussions (FGD) and depth interviews with indicators of internal and external factors for sorghum development. The analysis used is benefit cost (BC) to evaluate the economic value of sorghum farming, the Likert scale to determine farmers’ perceptions of sorghum, and Strength Weak Opportunity Threat (SWOT) to determine specific strategies for developing sorghum. The results showed that sorghum farming is feasible to develop in Wonogiri Central Java and Gunungkidul Yogyakarta because it provides a profit value greater than production costs with a BCR value of >1. The perception of farmers in Central Java regarding the development of sorghum is included in the very good category with an average value of 3.31, and the perception of farmers in Yogyakarta is included in the good category with an average value of 2.55. The operational policy strategy for developing sorghum in Wonogiri Central Java and Gunungkidul Yogyakarta is an expansion strategy (S-O).

Rice production in the karst dryland is still low, due to soil characteristics that lack nutrient availability. Meanwhile, upland rice has received less attention, and it has not been used to its full potential. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of various combinations of inorganic fertilizers, poultry manure, and upland rice varieties on the production and economic value of karst dryland in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta. This experiment was arranged in a factorial design, with inorganic fertilizers, poultry manure, and upland rice varieties set in a randomized block design with three replications. The first factor was a combination of inorganic and organic fertilizer rates: 72 N kg ha⁻¹ + 26 P₂O₅ kg ha⁻¹ + 25 K₂O ha⁻¹ + 3 t ha⁻¹ organic, 92 N kg ha⁻¹ + 36 P₂O₅ kg ha⁻¹ + 30 K₂O kg ha⁻¹ + 2 t ha⁻¹ organic, 112 N kg ha⁻¹ + 46 P₂O₅ kg ha⁻¹ + 35 K₂O kg ha⁻¹ + 1 t ha⁻¹ organic. The second factor is the upland varieties of Inpago 8, Inpago 10, and Inpago 12 and lowland variety Inpari 42 Agritan GSR, as checked. Based on the study, we concluded that the combination of 92 N kg ha⁻¹ + 36 P₂O₅ kg ha⁻¹ + 30 K₂O kg ha⁻¹ + 2 t ha⁻¹ poultry manure fertilizers with Inpago 8 resulted in an IDR profit of 23,586,000 ha⁻¹, and it is the most recommendable fertilizer and variety combination to be developed in the karst dryland, in consideration of land fertility and sustainability.

Sorghum is uniquely adapted to dryland and used by the Indonesian government to optimize the utilization of dryland and increase farmers’ incomes. The objective of this study was to analyze the contribution of sorghum to increasing income and the level of welfare of dryland farmer households in Wonogiri, Central Java, Indonesia. The study was conducted from October to December 2022 using a survey method through direct interviews with purposively selected sorghum-growing farmers. A set of questions included household income and expenditure. The average total income and expenditure indicators, poverty line figures, RMW, and ERFHI were used to measure the welfare level of farmer households. The study found that the income derived from sorghum contributes 22.87% to total household income and tends to increase household income by 29.65%. According to the average total income earned, farming households were in a prosperous condition. This can be seen from the total income, which is higher than the total expenditure, the average per capita income higher than the poverty line, the average total income higher than RMW, and the value of ERFHI at 1.25. Income derived from sorghum has increased by 21.43–56.00% from less prosperous households to prosperous ones. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the existing literature on sorghum development and farmers’ income and to be a reference for policy makers in formulating poverty alleviation programs and improving the welfare of farmer households, as well as expanding sorghum development by optimizing the utilization of agroecological, economic and social resources.

Centella asiatica is an herbal plant with many health benefits due to the content of asiaticoside compounds. Factors affecting asiaticoside content are altitude, soil texture, and soil nutrient status. This research aimed to identify the effect of zeolite, P₂O₅ fertilizer, and soil media from different altitudes on C. asiatica. The research was conducted in a greenhouse from August 2017–June 2018. The experimental design was a factorial, completely randomized design with three factors and four replications. The first factor was soil media that originated from 100, 450, and 900 m above sea level (asl), the second factor was the dose of P₂O₅ fertilizer (0, 27, 54, and 81 kg ha⁻¹), and the third was the dose of zeolite (0, 3, and 6 t ha⁻¹). The results showed that applying zeolite minerals at all altitudes increased nutrient availability and soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) by up to 70%. The novelty of this study is that the soil from an altitude of 900 m asl, with a P₂O₅ fertilizer dose of 54 kg ha⁻¹, has a loamy sand soil texture and produces the highest asiaticoside content (3.61%) and the largest plant dry weight (19.24 g). These results did not significantly differ from those obtained from the soil 450 m asl with a sandy loam soil texture (the most suitable soil texture for C. asiatica), that is 3.37% asiaticoside and 19.87 g plant dry weight. This study concluded that C. asiatica could develop in loamy sand soil by giving it 54 kg ha⁻¹ P₂O₅ fertilizer.