Judul: Marketing Channels and Transaction Cost Analysis of Tobacco Farming (Case Study: Sukabumi Village, Cepogo District, Boyolali Regency)
Abstrak: Usahatani tembakau rajangan menarik dalam hal pemasaran, banyak dijumpai lembaga pemasaran sehingga saluran pemasaran yang dilalui oleh petani berbeda-beda. Petani tidak mengetahui secara pasti kualitas tembakau yang dihasilkan sehingga petani berada pada posisi tawar yang kurang menguntungkan. Selain itu, petani cenderung mengabaikan biaya transaksi dalam usahataninya. Padahal biaya transaksi dapat mengurangi pendapatan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk (1) mengidentifikasi saluran dan fungsi pemasaran tembakau, (2) menganalisis efisiensi saluran pemasaran tembakau dan (3) menganalisis struktur biaya transaksi usahatani tembakau. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah analisis deskriptif kualitatif, analisis marjin pemasaran, farmer’s share, rasio keuntungan terhadap biaya pemasaran dan analisis biaya transaksi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat 4 saluran pemasaran yaitu: saluran pemasaran 1 (petani-perusahaan mitra), saluran pemasaran 2 (petani-pedagang pengumpul desa-pedagang besar-perwakilan pabrik), saluran pemasaran 3 (petani-pedagang besar-perwakilan pabrik), dan saluran pemasaran 4 (petani-perwakilan pabrik). fungsi pemasaran pada setiap lembaga pemasaran meliputi fungsi pertukaran, fungsi fisik, dan fungsi fasilitas. saluran pemasaran yang paling efisien adalah saluran pemasaran 4 dengan marjin pemasaran sebesar Rp 0 per kg, farmer’s share sebesar 100 persen, dan nilai rasio keuntungan terhadap biaya pemasaran sebesar 5,98. Jenis biaya transaksi usahatani tembakau terdiri atas biaya pencarian informasi, biaya negosiasi, biaya koordinasi, biaya pelaksanaan, biaya monitoring, dan biaya risiko. Jumlah rata-rata biaya transaksi yang terbentuk yaitu Rp 824.430., Slicing tobacco farming is interesting topic regarding of marketing, many marketing institutions are found so the marketing channels that are traversed by farmers are different. Farmers do not know for sure the quality of the tobacco produced so that farmers are in a less profitable bargaining position. In addition, farmers tend to ignore transaction costs in their farming. Though transaction costs can reduce revenue. This research aims to (1) identify tobacco marketing channels and functions, (2) analyze the efficiency of tobacco marketing channels and (3) analyze the transaction cost structure of tobacco farming. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative analysis, marketing margin analysis, farmer's share, profit to cost ratio and transaction cost analysis. The results of the research show there are four marketing channels, which is: marketing channel 1 (farmers partner companies), marketing channel 2 (farmers-traders of village collectors wholesale traders-factory representatives), marketing channel 3 (farmers wholesalers-factory representatives), and marketing channels 4 (farmer-factory representative). The marketing function in each marketing agency includes the exchange function, physical function, and facilities function. The most efficient marketing channel is marketing channel 4 with a marketing margin of 0 IDR/kg, farmer's share of 100 percent, and the value of the profit-to-cost ratio of 5.98. Types of transaction costs for tobacco farming consist of information seeking costs, negotiation costs, coordination costs, implementation costs, monitoring costs, and risk costs. The average amount of transaction fees formed is IDR 824,430.
Keyword: farmer's share, marketing margin, profit to cost ratio, slicing tobacco

Judul: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Farmers in  Tobacco Pest and Disease Management in Banyudono, Boyolali Regency
Abstrak: Tembakau memegang peranan penting sebagai komoditas ekspor di Indone sia. Namun demikian, hama dan penyakit seringkali membatasi produksi temba kau. Penelitian ini bertujuan memperoleh informasi mengenai pengetahuan, sikap, dan tindakan petani dalam pengelolaan hama dan penyakit tanaman tembakau di Kecamatan Banyudono, Kabupaten Boyolali. Penelitian dilakukan dengan metode survei langsung kepada 60 petani tembakau dengan menggunakan kuesioner ter struktur untuk mendapatkan data primer. Sementara itu, data sekunder diperoleh dari pemerintah daerah. Data yang diperoleh disajikan secara deskriptif dan diana lisis dengan menggunakan χ2 (chi-square). Pengetahuan petani tentang budi daya tembakau berasal secara turun-temurun dari orang tua. Hama dan penyakit utama budi daya tembakau adalah Spodoptera litura, Myzus persicae, Aphis gosypii, Helicoverpa sp., Bemisia sp., penyakit kerupuk (Tobacco leaf curl virus), lanas (Phytohpthora nicotiane), dan patik daun (Cercospora nicotinae). Serangan hama dan penyakit tersebut dapat menyebabkan penurunan kualitas tembakau. Hub ungan antara usia, pendidikan, pengalaman usaha tani, dan keanggotaan gapoktan menunjukkan bahwa pengetahuan petani berhubungan dengan tingkat pendidikan petani. Sikap petani berhubungan dengan usia dan pendidikan, sedangkan tinda kan petani berhubungan dengan tingkat pengalaman usaha tani dan keanggotaan gapoktan., Tobacco plays role as important export commodity in Indonesia. This re search was aimed to obtain informations about the knowledge, attitude, and prac tice of of tobacco pests and diseases management in Banyudono District, Boyolali Regency. This research was done by conducting direct survey to 60 tobacco farm ers using structured questionnaires to collect primary data, while a data was ob tained from local government. The data obtained were presented descriptively and analyzed using χ2 (chi-square). Farmers' knowledge about tobacco cultivation comes from generation to generation from their parents. Major pests and diseases of tobacco plants were Spodoptera litura, Myzus persicae, Aphis gosypii, Heli coverpa sp., Bemisia sp., leaf curl disease (Tobacco leaf curl virus), black shank (Phytohpthora nicotiane), and frog-eye disease (Cercospora nicotinae). These pests and diseases reduced tobacco quality. The relationship among age, educa tion, farming experience, and the membership of farmer group, showed that the farmers’ knowledge was closely related to their formal education background. Farmers’ attitude was correlated with age and formal education, while farmers’ practice was correlated with farming experience and the membership of farmer group
Keyword: cultivation, farmer characteristics, IPM

Judul: Synthesis of Apatite - Chitosan Composite Using Duck Eggshell and Chitosan with Temperature and pH Control
Abstrak: Composite of apatite-chitosan was prepared by using chitosan as polymer matrix. Calcium phosphate was prepared from CaO and (NH4)2HPO4, which the ratio Ca : P had to be 1.67. Chitosan is produced by deacetilase from biopolymer chitin. Duck eggshell (95% CaCO3) as starting material was converted to be calcium oxide (CaO) through calcinations with temperature 1000oC for 5 hours. In-situ and ex-situ methods were prepared from apatite and chitosan (dissolved with acetate acid 2%). Calcium phosphate prepared for bone implantation, but it is too fragile and brittle to be implant into the body. So addition of chitosan can decrease crystalinity and increase mechanic characteristic (tougher). Composite apatite-chitosan was resulted by fast precipitation. Fast precipitation was held in a breaker glass with nitrogen atmosphere, under controlled temperature at 37oC and pH 7, in order to increase amount of hydroxyapatite. Precipitation with CaO which was dropped by (NH4)2HPO4. Hydroxyapatite and chitosan were appearing at samples with in-situ and ex-situ methods which indicating by peak matching of XRD (closed lattice parameter, crystal size), overlapping at FTIR spectra and supporting by SEM picture (homogenous and agglomerated particle). However, it still needs further research to examine biocompatibility osteoconductive degree of sample by in-vivo and in-vitro test.
Keyword: