Judul: Impact of Rice Straw Incorporation and Insecticide Application on Insect and Spider Biodiversity and  Brown Planthopper Populations
Abstrak: Biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and supporting increased food crop production. In Indonesia, especially in rice cultivation, there is a tendency to make agroecosystems fragile, thereby increasing the potential for the explosion of pest populations, such as the brown planthopper (BPH). One potential solution to enhance the health of rice plants is to return straw after harvest to agricultural fields. This step contributes to maintaining the balance of paddy ecosystems and improving crop production. Optimizing straw incorporation can be enhanced by judiciously applying appropriate and wise insecticides. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of returning organic material, namely rice straw, and applying insecticides with different spectrums and selectivities to rice cultivation. The impacts are observed on soil nutrient content, microbial activity, plant growth, insect and spider diversity, the dynamics of the main pest, BPH population and their effects on yield. Observations of the interaction between straw incorporation and insecticide application were made during two different planting seasons in the experimental field of PT Corteva Agriscience Indonesia, located in Ciwaringin Village, Lemahabang, Karawang Regency, West Java, from January to September 2022. The research design utilized a split-plot design, with two main plots (with and without straw incorporation) and three subplots (without insecticide, broad-spectrum fipronil insecticide, and narrow-spectrum triflumezopyrim insecticide. Soil nutrient and microbial samples were collected by taking soil samples from each plot after planting the land. Insect and spider samples were taken every two weeks using suction devices and insect nets, while BPH population observations were conducted every week until one week before harvest. The overall research results indicate that straw incorporation elicits a positive response regarding plant growth, insect and spider diversity, reduced pest insect populations, and increased natural enemy populations. However, the level of this positive response is influenced by the planting season. Conversely, applying narrow-spectrum insecticides is more effective in protecting rice plants from BPH infestation, positively impacting increased yields. In conclusion, the combination of straw incorporation and triflumezopyrim insecticide application is expected to provide better results for rice protection against BPH infestations., Keanekaragaman hayati dalam ekosistem pertanian memainkan peran penting dalam menjaga keseimbangan ekologi dan mendukung peningkatan produksi tanaman pangan. Di Indonesia, khususnya pada budi daya padi, ada kecenderungan membuat agroekosistem menjadi rapuh, sehingga meningkatkan potensi peledakan populasi hama seperti wereng batang cokelat (WBC). Salah satu solusi potensial untuk meningkatkan kesehatan tanaman padi adalah mengembalikan jerami sisa panen ke lahan pertanian. Langkah ini tidak hanya dapat menjaga keseimbangan ekosistem padi sawah secara tidak langsung, tetapi juga dapat meningkatkan produksi tanaman. Optimalisasi pengembalian jerami dapat ditingkatkan dengan penggunaan insektisida yang tepat dan bijaksana. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memahami pengaruh dari pengembalian bahan organik berupa jerami dan aplikasi insektisida dengan spektrum dan selektivitas yang berbeda pada pertanaman padi dengan mengamati pengaruhnya terhadap kandungan unsur hara dan mikroba tanah, pertumbuhan tanaman, keanekaragaman artropoda, dinamika populasi hama utama, yaitu WBC, hingga pengaruhnya terhadap hasil panen. Pengamatan interaksi antara pengembalian jerami dan aplikasi insektisida diamati pada dua musim tanam yang berbeda di lahan percobaan PT Corteva Agriscience Indonesia, Desa Ciwaringin, Lemahabang,
Keyword: agroecosystem, fipronil, organic material, triflumezopyrim