Usaha ekstensifikasi terus dilakukan pemerinlah untuk peningkatan produksi kedelai national melalui pemanfaatan lahan di daerah pasang surut. Namun masalah salinitas menjadi faktor pemhalas pertumbuhan lanaman. Salah sain sirategi unluk mcngatasi masalah tersebut adalah memilih kultivar Tanaman pertanian yang toleran terhadap kadar gararn tinggi. Telah dilakukan penelitian di rumah kaca Departemen Biologi FMIPA-U1 pada bulan Descmber 2003 sampai dengan Maret 2004 yang bertujuan untuk mengetahui respon tanaman kedelai [Glvcine max (L.) Merr.] variatas Jayawijaya terhadap beberapa konsetilrasi NaCl yaitu 0. 25. 50, dan 75 inM.Perlakuan NaCl diberikan sejak pengecambahan biji (dengan cara irigasi) sampai niasa pcrtumbuhan tanaman (dengan cara perendaman). Berdasarkan pengamatan kualitatif berupa persentasi perkecambahan, jumlah daun, berat segar tajuk. dan bera kering tajuk dapat disimpulkan bahwa NaCl konsentrasi 50 mM sudah mulai menurunkan kualitas pertumbuhan tanaman kedelai variatas Jayawijaya sehingga kedtlai varietas ini tergolong varietas yang scnsitif terhadap kadar garam di alas 50 mM.
Government keeps trying to increase the production of soybean through extensification program (enlarging the planting area) by using marginal land. However, salinity is being a factor thai influences llie growth and limits the productivity of crop plants. One of strategies to maintain production on saline soils includes the use of plants that are tolerant lo salinity. Experiments were conducted at green house of Department of Biology on December 2003 - March 2004.1 he objective of ihis study was to evaluate the effect of salinity on growth of soybean \Glycine max (L.) Men.) var. Jayawijaya at seedling stage and the later stages. In this study soybean were treated with 0, 25, 50 and 100 mM NaCl. The treatments with NaCl were begun since germination. Hased on qualitative test which are germination percentage, amount of leases, and 1'resh and dry shoot weight it was concluded that on NaCl 50 mM, the quaility of this plant growth start to decrease. Ihis Jayawijaya soybean is categorised as a sensitive to salinity above 511 mM.
