CORN AS A SOURCE OF FOOD AND REFUGIA

Corn is needed as a source of staple food and animal feed from seeds produced. The nutritional content of corn varies depending on the part consumed. However, corn is also consumed when the seeds are still young, both in field corn and paddy corn. Corn can be consumed in many ways such as by boiling, grilling (roasting) or processed into corn flour, corn syrup and corn cereals that are very preferred by consumers, so that corn planting is carried out continuously from season to season. Whole Corn kernels contain high levels of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are very beneficial for human health. Micro nutrients in corn include pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin B6 and niacin or Vitamin B3.

Currently, corn cultivation is not only done in the middle of rice fields / fields but it can also be done on the edge of land / rice field bunds as refugia plants. Refugia is a microhabitat that provides temporary shelter, as a source of food / other resources for natural enemies such as predators and parasitoids. as well as providing benefits to biotic ecosystem interactions such as pollinators. The planting of refugia was originally intended to control pests through preemtive agro-ecosystem management. With the planting of corn in paddy fields as refugia, the intensity and biodiversity in paddy fields will increase so that they can maintain the balance of the ecosystem in the paddy fields.

The refugia technique is environmentally friendly and economical. With the existence of corn plants in the rice field, the life of natural enemies will be healthier and its life force will be longer, compared to if there are no corn plants in the rice field, because natural enemies only eat food in the rice field. Planting of corn in the rice fields is carried out by “ditugal”, then covered with compost. Planting corn as refugia can be intercropped by planting flowers as a conservation of natural enemies. Conservation is basically management of the environment to protect, preserve, and increase the effectiveness of natural enemy populations that already exist in a habitat so that they are able to develop naturally and achieve balance in suppressing the host pest population. Conservation of natural enemies can be done by protecting and maintaining the plants that host it. Natural enemies in the form of parasitoids require nectar or liquid honey provided by flower plants to eat and survive. By maintaining and protecting corn plants and flower plants on the edge of the rice field, it is hoped that natural enemies can continue to exist there.

Many benefits are obtained from the intercropping system, namely farmers' income increases, land use becomes more economical, while excess nutrients can be utilized by other plants. In intercropping, land management is more efficient, while the risk of business failure can be minimized. In addition, intercropping success in providing diverse food ingredients can support food security.