The Use of DEM to Delineate Spatial Variability of Soil Nutrient Content in Apple Orchard Batu City, East Java Province, Indonesia

The spatial variability data on soil nutrient content is the key component in precision farming implementation. The kriging method that is widely used for interpolation is considered inefficient. This is an obstacle to the concept application of precision farming. Therefore, another method is needed to answer this problem. The purpose of this study was to assess whether DEM can be used to delineate the spatial variability of soil nutrient content. The research was conducted on an apple orchard in Batu City, East Java Province. Determination of sample points was using a stratified random sampling method, so the land was classified into 9 areas (Area 1-9). The data used for this purpose were high-resolution DEM. Statistical analysis was done using GLM Multivariate. The statistical analysis results show that the significance value is less than 0.05. This means that with a 95% degree of confidence the value of soil nutrients including soil pH, organic carbon, total P, and total K are significantly different in various Areas. The formation of Areas in this study derives from spatial analysis of the DEM. The conclusion of this research is that DEM can be used to delineate the spatial variability of soil nutrient levels in an apple orchard.