The Effect of Layers and Weaving Spacing of ‘Mendong’ (Fimbristylis globulosa) Bio-geotextile on Effectiveness of Soil Erosion Control

Abstract

The challenge of farming in mountainous areas is soil conservation to avoid erosion. A method to control soil erosion is mulch technology. Mulch can reduce rain energy, preventing damaging the stability of the soil structure. Mulch that is widely used is plastic mulch, but it has several disadvantages. Thus, bio-geotextile is a mulch alternative. Biogeotextiles can be made from mending, a type of grass belonging to the Cyperaceae family and is originally from Southeast Asia. This study aims to determine the effect of the number of layers and weaving spacing of bio-geotextile in controlling soil erosion and the best treatment of Mendong bio-geotextile in controlling soil erosion. The method used was a Factorial Randomized Block Design (RBD), which consists of two factors, the number of layers (1 -3 layers) and weaving spacing (0.5-2 cm. It is found that Mendong bio-geotextile with 1 layer and 0.5 cm weaving spacing was the best and most effective treatment in controlling soil erosion. The Mendong bio-geotextile has proven to be effective in reducing soil loss due to erosion. Compared to the soil without bio-geotextile treatment, Mendong's bio-geotextile best treatment can reduce the amount of soil loss up to 98.6%.

Assessment of Mulch Material Effect on Surface Runoff, Soil Loss, and Water Quality in an Agricultural Region

“…Biogeotextile is a geosynthetic material made from an organic, water-permeable, and degradable material and created through a process similar to textile. One kind of biogeotextile is made from the mendong (Javanese fimbry, Fimbristylis umbellaris) plant, which is a kind of grass that grows plentifully on the island of Java (Sukardi, Effendhi, & Setyawan, 2021). It has been the case that the utilization of mendong has not been maximal, as it is only made into mats and handicrafts that have now shifted to materials from mining products, such as plastic.…”