Analyzing Organic Matter using Various Analysis Method in Some Types of Land Use
Febrianti Rosalina (a*), Anif Farida (b), Zulkarnain Sangadji (c), Muzna Ardin Abdul Gafur (d), Ihsan Febriadi (e)

a, b, c, d) Agrotechnology Department, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sorong, Sorong, Indonesia
e) Forestry Department, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sorong, Sorong, Indonesia

Abstract

The study aims to investigate various soil analysis methods and to identify weaknesses and strengths of various analysis methods applied to the organic matter content of the soil. The research studied soils from three areas with different usages. Those soil samples were from farmland, dryland (not irrigated field), and paddy soil (irrigated field). Samples were taken through composite (5 points) and non-composite (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depths) techniques. The findings show that the selection of methods to measure the organic matter of soil should be matched with the organic materials generally contained in the soil and the conditions of the organic materials. Walkley and Black method are not recommended to be applied on soil containing fresh organic matter and various oxides like soil from forest, farm, and field. These soils should be pre-treated before applying the Walkley and Black method. It also applies to soil containing calcium when using the CHNS method considering that CO2 can be formed from CaCO3 that can interrupt the final results of the analysis. In using LOI method, temperature and burning time are influential on the result because the crystal of the soil contains water that can evaporate at the particular temperature possibly leading it to be overestimated.

Keywords: analysis method- land use- organic matter

Topic: Physics, Biology, and Chemistry