Managing Actual Problems of Peatsoils Associated with Soil Acidity

The research objective is to manage actual problems of peatsoils associated with soil acidity. The research has been conducted on peatsoils in river backswamps located in Subdistricts of East Pedamaran and Pedamaran, District of OKI South Sumatra. Soil sampling was taken in cultivated and uncultivated types of landuse; cultivated peatsoils consist of Site A (intercropping between oil palm and pineapple) and Site B (oil palm), uncultivated peatsoils are divided into Site C (peat forest), Site D (swamp bush) and Site E (swamp grass). The research resulted that actual problems of soil acidity is associated with base saturation, cations exchange capacity, soil organic matters and C/N ratio, balances of soil nutrients, and toxicity potency. The climatic condition and drought can accelerate the occurrence of actual problems of peatsoils associated with acidity peatsoils. Some ameliorant have been applied in order of importance in the fields, namely lime/dolomite, mineral soils, organic fertilizers, combustion ash, and volcanic ash. Application of ameliorant materials is capable to minimize the actual problems of peatsoils associated with soil acidity