Upland Rice Growth Performance Grown under Different Planting Times and Biochar Applications at Zone D1 Oldeman Agroclimate in North Sumatra

: Upland rice yield is highly dependent on nutrients and water availability, temporal and spatial conditions of the climate and the length of planting time period. The effect of planting time and biochar application on upland rice yields varieties were investigated at Zone D Oldeman Agroclimate in North Sumatera. Five upland rice varieties (Batutegi, Inpago 4, Limboto, Situpatenggang, Situbagendit) were evaluated under four planting times and four biochar applications (no rice husk biochar, rice husk biochar, rice husk biochar +chicken manure, rice husk biochar+ EM 4 ). Results showed that biochar application increased plant growth and yield significantly. Application of rice husk biochar + chicken manure produced the highest mean of plant height, leaf chloropyll content, total leaf area, yield per plot and harvest index, while ricehusk biochar + EM4 produced the highest mean number of productive tiller per hill. The Planting time (15 th Sept ) period IV recorded the highest mean of all parameter excluding harvest index which the highest value were at period II. And Inpago 4, Limboto, Batutegi varieties showed the higher growth and yield performances among the four different planting times at zone D Oldeman Agroclimate.