54 Markus Anda et al. ABSTRACT Problems of soil limiting factors affecting crop growth were not fully understood owing to little attention has been given to soil mineralogy and its association to soil chemical properties. The objective of the study was to assess soil mineralogical and chemical properties of seven soils derived from different parent materials as an integrated strategic consideration to establish soil management. Field study was carried out in 2009. Soils were sampled from each horizon of profiles. Results showed that primary and secondary minerals had a strong effect on soil chemical properties. The sand fraction of soils derived from basalt, gabbro, mica schist and serpentinite was dominated by resistant minerals (quartz or opaques), leading to very limited, if any, nutrients released from parent materials. The clay fraction was dominated by kaolinite for soils derived from basalt, mica schist and gabbaro, and by amorphous materials for the soil derived from serpentinite resulting in low soil cation exchange capacity (CEC). For other three soils derived from volcanic tuff, volcanic basaltic andesite and volcanic ash, the easily weatherable minerals (feldspar and ferromagnesian) were dominant, suggesting the high reserved nutrients. The presence of halloysite and smectite minerals in the soil derived from volcanic tuff resulted in high soil CEC, while the dominance of amorphous materials in soils derived from volcanic basaltic andesite and volcanic ash was responsible for the low CEC. For soils derived from basalt, serpentinite, mica schist and gabbro, therefore, the strategic management should be directed to restore soil CEC, pH, exchangeable cations and P content. For soils derived from volcanic tuff, volcanic basaltic andesite and volcanic ash, the presence of easily weatherable minerals indicated many reserved nutrients; hence the soil management is directed for replenishment of nutrients removed by crops. [Keywords: Soil chemical properties, mineralogical characteristics, primary minerals, clay minerals, soil management] ABSTRAK Faktor-faktor pembatas pertumbuhan tanaman yang berkaitan dengan sifat-sifat tanah belum sepenuhnya dapat dipahami MINERALOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS AS A CONSIDERATION FOR ESTABLISHING SUSTAINABLE SOIL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Karakterisasi Mineral dan Sifat Kimia Tanah Sebagai Dasar untuk Mengembangkan Strategi Pengelolaan Tanah Berkelanjutan Markus Anda*, Anny Mulyani, and Suparto Indonesian Center for Agricultural Land Resources Research and Development Jalan Tentara Pelajar No. 12 Bogor 16114, Indonesia Phone +62 251 8323012, 8327215, Fax. +62 251 8311256, E-mail: bbsdlp@litbang.deptan.go.id *Corresponding author: markusandas@yahoo.com Submitted 11 July 2011; Accepted 25 May 2012 karena terbatasnya informasi tentang kandungan mineral tanah yang berkaitan dengan berbagai sifat kimia tanah. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mempelajari komposisi mineral dan sifat kimia tujuh tanah yang terbentuk dari bahan induk berbeda sebagai dasar pertimbangan untuk menyusun strategi pengelolaan tanah berkelanjutan. Penelitian lapangan dilakukan pada tahun 2009. Contoh tanah diambil dari tiap horison masing-masing profil tanah. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa komposisi mineral primer dan sekunder sangat memengaruhi sifat kimia tanah. Fraksi pasir tanah yang terbentuk dari batuan basal, gabro, skis mika, dan serpentin didominasi oleh mineral tahan pelapukan (kuarsa atau opak) sehingga hara yang dilepaskan sangat terbatas. Fraksi liat didominasi oleh mineral kaolinit pada tanah yang terbentuk dari batuan basal, skis mika, dan gabro, sedangkan tanah dari batuan serpentinit didominasi bahan amorf sehingga kapasitas tukar kation (KTK) rendah. Tanah yang terbentuk dari tufa volkan, volkan andesit basal, dan abu volkan didominasi oleh mineral primer mudah lapuk (feldspar dan ferromagnesian) sehingga kandungan cadangan hara tinggi. Tanah yang terbentuk dari tufa volkan mempunyai mineral haloisit dan semektit sehingga KTK-nya tinggi, sedangkan tanah yang terbentuk dari volkan andesit basal dan abu volkan didominasi oleh bahan amorf sehingga KTK-nya rendah. Oleh karena itu, strategi untuk pengelolaan tanah-tanah dari bahan induk basal, serpentin, mika, dan gabro diarahkan untuk memulihkan KTK, pH, kation tukar, dan kandungan P, sedangkan pada tanah-tanah dari bahan volkan (tufa, andesit basal, dan abu) yang masih mempunyai banyak cadangan hara, pengelolaannya diarahkan untuk mengganti hara yang terangkut panen tanaman. [Kata kunci: Sifat kimia tanah, karakteristik mineral tanah, mineral primer, mineral liat, pengelolaan tanah] INTRODUCTION To fully understood soil properties affecting agri- cultural practices, the approach needs an integrated consideration of various soil components to allow predictions of soil behavior, use and management. Composition of primary minerals (sand fractions) Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Science 13(2), 2012: 54-67 brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Science