Assessing soil quality of Abargay Rangeland in Farta District, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia
April 2019
Rangelands provide many supporting, regulative and provisioning ecosystem services to man. The mounting anthropogenic pressure on them is, however, causing their degradation and decline in productivity. Assessment of their soil quality is important for identifying sustainable land management practices. The present investigation was, therefore, carried out to assess the soil quality of adjoining protected and unprotected...
Soil degradation extent and dynamics of soil fertility improvement technologies In Majete Watershed, North Ethiopia
April 2019
Soil degradation is among the serious environmental hazards of this generation. It is threatening agricultural production and leads to food insecurity. The objective of this study is to assess current soil degradation status and soil fertility enhancement technologies practiced by the land owners. Data were obtained through questionnaires administered to 156 respondents selected randomly from all watershed...
Effect of Sulphur application and water salinity on soil and plant properties
February 2019
The main objective of this work was to study the effect of sulphur application and irrigation water quality on some soil properties of the calcareous, alluvial and sandy soils. A lysimeter experiment was conducted and filled with calcareous, alluvial and sandy soils to evaluate the impact of using elemental sulfur on the yields and mineral uptake of wheat plant. The experiment was cultivated with wheat plant (Triticum...
Soil moisture variability effects on maize crop performance along a toposequence of a terraced vertisol in Machakos, Kenya
January 2019
Recurrent droughts are often associated with crop failure and therefore food insecurity especially in semi-arid areas of Kenya. A study was conducted in Machakos County in the long rain and short rain seasons of 2014 to determine the effect of soil moisture variability on crop performances and yields along the toposequence of a terraced vertisol. The crops were grown as either sole maize, sole beans or maize-bean...
Nutrient release pattern from Leptic Cambisols as influenced by vermicompost and inorganic fertilizer applications
January 2019
An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of vermicompost, inorganic fertilizers and their combinations on release of soil nutrients at different growth stages of wheat. A factorial combination of four levels of inorganic fertilizers (0, 33.33, 66.66, and 100% of the recommended NPK fertilizers) and vermicompost (0, 2, 4 and 6 t ha-1) were laid out in complete randomized design with three replications. Soil...
Adoption of soil conservation practices through knowledge governance: the Mexican experience
January 2019
Top-down and centralized soil conservation programs have caused low adoption of sustainable practices. The adoption is a multistage and adaptive process that relies on the management of local knowledge. The results of 61 surveys were analyzed in order to systematize experiences of soil knowledge governance involving social organizations and farmers. Soil knowledge governance was done mainly through the sharing of...
Prospects for sustainable cocoa farming from the rainfall balance in the last thirty years at Lôh-Djiboua and Gôh post-pioneer regions, Côte d’Ivoire
November 2018
The rainfall disturbances observed in the recent decades in Côte d'Ivoire constitute a constraint for sustainable cocoa production, the mainstay of the Ivorian economy. These disturbances constitute, in addition to the losses of production and those from the quality of the cocoa beans, one of the causes of the high cocoa mortality at the recovery stage in all cocoa production area. The present study, carried...
Impact of pollution by the hydrocarbons on the biological activity of soils in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
November 2018
The microbial activity estimated by respirometry test method made it possible to measure the quantity of CO2 produced per day, from four soils polluted at different degrees by hydrocarbons. These samples have been wet to 2/3 of their maximal capacity of retention and incubated at 30°C for 30 days. The quantity of CO2 released and measured shows a high value (83.97 mg/100 g of soils against 36.05 mg/100 g of soils)...
Mapping soil terrain resources and descriptions of agro-ecological zone in Dawuro and Gamo Gofa zones in south-western Ethiopia
October 2018
This study aims to identify and delineate land resources including soil, water and terrain resources, and major river basins, with demographic data and agro-ecological zone classification of general climatic conditions and vegetation characteristics of Gamo Gofa and Dawuro zones in South-western Ethiopia. Metadata source and visual assessment were used for this purpose. Agroecology zone classification is based on...
Climate Change Effect and Adaptation Measures on Selected Soil Properties
October 2018
Soil sustainability in climate changing trends is critical to address future food security and safety. This study investigated the effect of air and soil temperature on some selected soil properties. The impact of soil conditioning with composted organic wastes on the temperature effect was also assessed. Four different chambers were set up using electrical bulbs of 60, 100, 200, and 300 W given air temperature ranges...
Comparative performance of farming practices in terms of carbon sequestration potential of mulberry and soil organic carbon stock
October 2018
Experimentation under the study at Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Berhampore (West Bengal, India) was laid out in RBD comprising of seven treatments replicated thrice. The treatments consist of six different farming practices along with a fallow. Mulberry variety, S 1635, spaced at 60 x 60 cm was subjected to those farming practices under irrigated Gangetic alluvial soil. Three years’ field...
Applicability of the Mehlich-3 method for the site-specific soil nutrient management in Northern Mozambique
September 2018
Mehlich 3 (M-3) is a multi-nutrient extractant which provides a rapid and cost-effective soil test for various soils. This study investigated the applicability of M-3 for cation and micronutrient determination under the specific soil fertilization and crop rotation given in northern Mozambique. Cations and micronutrients extracted with M-3 were compared with the classical methods; neutral ammonium acetate (NH4OAc) for...
Characterization of soils under major land uses in Chencha District, South Ethiopia
August 2018
Assessing land use induced changes in soil properties is essential for addressing the issues of land use planning and sustainable land productivity in highlands of Ethiopia. The surface and profile soil samples were collected from forest (FL) cultivated (CL) and grass/pasture lands (GL) in Doko Yoyira (DY), Aiezo Tula (AT) and Gendona Gembela (GG) in Chencha district, Gamo-Gofa zone in May 2014, which aims to assess...
Farmer’s perception of soil and watershed degradation and the assessment of soil nutrients status under agroforestry systems in the Western Highlands of Cameroon: Case of Ako sub division
August 2018
The objective of this study was to assess farmers’ perception regarding the activities which degrade the soil and watershed and to analyze soil nutrients status under different agroforestry systems. The aim of the study was to identify and promote locally-known agroforestry-based practices for soil and watershed conservation in the savannah highland area of Cameroon. Semi-structured questionnaires were...
Effects of organic fertilizer (NPK 5-9-19) and mineral (NPK 12-11-18) on soil chemical properties in tomato crop in the South and Mid-west of the Ivory Coast
July 2018
A study on mineral and organic liquid fertilizer was carried out in the South and Central West of Ivory Coast during a period of two years in order to improve soil fertility in tomato crop. More specifically, it evaluated the effects of 4 doses of organic fertilizer (NPK 5-9-19), associated or not with mineral fertilizer (NPK 12-11-18) on the content of soil organic matter, C/N ratio, the sum of exchangeable bases,...
Prospects of alternative copping systems for salt-affected soils in Ethiopia
July 2018
Soil salinization is one of the major constraints in achieving food security and environmental degradation in Ethiopia. Restoration of salt-affected lands into productive lands and protection of newly developed areas from the spread of salinity is therefore of paramount importance. In high salinity areas where technical solutions to soil rehabilitation are expensive and time consuming and growth of normal field crops is...
Short-term amelioration of soil properties and maize yield enhancement using animal wastes in degraded hydromorphic soils of Southeastern Nigeria
June 2018
Amending soil with animal wastes can be useful in food production as well as a means of waste disposal. It has been found to enhance physico-chemical properties and enhance yield. Poultry manure (PM), swine waste (SW), cow dung (CD), and sewage sludge (SS) were added to a hydromorphic ultisol (sandy loam, typic haplusult at the rate of 10 tha-1 (12 kgplot-1)). Maize hybrid (Oba super II) was used as...
Influence of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers on growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) at Assosa, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Western Ethiopia
June 2018
Potato is one of the most important food security and cash crops in Ethiopia. It is constrained by poor soil fertility. A field experiment was conducted at Assosa Agricultural Research Centre to investigate the effect of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers on the growth performance and yield of potato. The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in 4×6 factorial arrangement of...
Selected physicochemical properties and quality of soils around some rivers of Cameroon
May 2018
Rivers Wouri and Meme feed the Wouri and Rio del Rey mangroves of Cameroon, respectively. This study examined the physicochemical properties of soils that were collected around the vicinity of these rivers. This was to ascertain the former’s role in controlling the movement of chemical entities into these rivers and nutrient quality. Twenty-one surface soil samples were collected (0-20 cm depth) within the...
Effect of soil factors on net N-mineralization and decomposition rate of organic nutrient sources
April 2018
Rate of mineralization for organic nutrient sources (ONS) depends on temperature, soil moisture, soil chemical, physical, biological properties as well as the chemical composition of the ONS. Erythrina abyssinica (EA), Erythrina brucei (EB) and Ensete ventricosum (EV) (ONS) were collected from Sidama and Wolaita, southern Ethiopia. Soil samples (0-20 cm) depths were collected from Cambisols and Luvisols areas....
Potassium dynamics under enset (Ensete ventricosom cheesman) farming systems of Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia
April 2018
Potassium dynamics of soils is constituted by constantly changing relationship between soil K forms, and this relation is affected by some soil physical and chemical properties. Most Sidama (south Ethiopia) farmers grow enset crops which have high K requirements. The soils were collected from Awassa-Zuriya and Dale districts; ’Woinadega’ (warm subtropical climate) and Hula district ‘Dega’ (wet,...
Soil erosion magnitude of upland farming practices in Bataan
March 2018
There are factors affecting erosion such as climate, soil type, vegetation and topography. Upland areas are denuding exponentially due to the fact that those people looking for livelihood had little concern and awareness on environmental sustainability and management. Upland farming practices that are easy like weeding, pest control and fertilization were often carried out without soil erosion control and water...
Dried Azolla pinnata as a supplementary nitrogen source for lowland rice production in a Calcic Natraquert
March 2018
A pot experiment was conducted in the experimental field of the University of Ghana, Legon to examine the effectiveness of dry Azolla as N source in flooded rice field. The treatments included incorporating fresh Azolla (FA at 90 kg N/ha), dry Azolla (DA at 90 kg N/ha), dry Azolla + Ammonium sulphate (DA at 45 kg N/ha + AS at 45 kg N/ha), fresh Azolla + dry Azolla (FA at 45 kg N/ha + DA at 45 kg N/ha),...
Prediction of nitrogen availability based on soil organic carbon in commercial mulberry vegetation of Eastern India
March 2018
Appropriate quantification of nitrogen availability in soil is the prerequisite for proper implementation of soil-test based fertilizer-application scheme. However, most of the soil testing laboratories use soil organic carbon level to suggest fertilizer dose for nitrogen; hence, the present study has been initiated to develop prediction equation for estimating available nitrogen content of soil from its organic carbon...
Short term effects of thinning on soil organic carbon fractions, soil properties, and forest floor in Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations
February 2018
Forest management impacts on the soil carbon pool and soil properties. This study analyzed the changes of soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions, soil properties, and forest floor in a Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation after two years of thinning in Eastern China. The experiment consisted of three thinning treatments: unthinned, moderate thinned (stand stem density reduced by approximately 21%), and heavy...
Comparison of bulk density methods in determining soil organic carbon storage under different land use types
January 2018
The different methods used for determining soil bulk density make the result of soil organic carbon (SOC) estimation vary. The study was conducted on five land use types in Gergera watershed, Tigray, Ethiopia. This study investigates two methods (Core and Excavation methods) of soil bulk density and their relative consequence on SOC; it also evaluates which method is better for estimating SOC stock. Both methods were...
Potassium adsorption characteristics of five different textured soils under enset (Ensete ventricosom cheesman) farming systems of Sidama zone, South Ethiopia
January 2018
A laboratory study was conducted to determine the potassium (K) adsorption characteristics of five soils under enset (Ensete ventricosom cheesman) farming system in Sidama. Potassium adsorption isotherms were constructed by equilibrating 5 g soil samples with 5 levels of K (0 to 78mg/L) as KCl in 10 mmoles/L CaCl2 solutions. Suspensions were shaken for half an hour. Adsorption data were fitted to Freundlich, Langmuir...
Assessment of the ecological state of soil above an underground natural gas storage using bioassay
December 2017
Soils in areas of underground natural gas storage facilities (UGS) can become contaminated with hydrocarbons, which impacts negatively on soil properties and functions of soil biocenosis. The purpose of this study was to biodiagnose soil samples from the territory of an UGS (Stepnoye district, Saratov region) using bioassay. For microbiological analysis of the soil samples, the following parameters were selected: The...
Impact of previous legumes on millet mycorrhization and yields in sandy soil of West African Sahel
November 2017
A preliminary study was conducted during the raining seasons 2012 through 2015 to assess the status of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi associated with 4 legumes and millet on the sandy soil of Sadoré, Niger. A factorial completely randomized block design was used for the layout. Crop roots parameters of mycorrhization and soil fungi spore density and biodiversity were investigated as responses to varied planting...
Soil fertility assessment and determination of potential ameliorants for an Alfisol under long-term continuous cultivation in southwestern Nigeria
October 2017
Soil fertility declines following continuous cultivation along with the use of fertilizers causing concern for sustainable food productivity. This study assessed chemical properties of degraded Alfisol, and also evaluated potential of organic residues and fertilizers in improving them. Soil samples (0 to 30 cm) of degraded and fallow fields were collected and analyzed. One kilogram each of soil from degraded field was...
Spatial and seasonal variations in surface water quality of the Mkondoa River, Tanzania
October 2017
Surface water quality was examined to determine spatial and seasonal variations in the Mkondoa River, in an agricultural area at Kilosa, Tanzania. Five sampling stations were chosen spatially along the river continuum to reflect a consideration of all possible activities that are capable of affecting the quality of the river water. Triplicate samples of physical water parameters were collected on a monthly basis at each...
Topographic positions and land use impacted soil properties along Humbo Larena-Ofa Sere toposequence, Southern Ethiopia
September 2017
Understanding the dynamics and distribution of soil characteristics as influenced by landscape features and land use is critical for making decisions with regards to crop production and other types of proper land use. A field study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between topography position, land use and soil properties along the toposequence of Humbo Larena - Ofa Sere in Wolayita zone, Southern Ethiopia....
A comparison of the forest soils in the Peruvian Amazon: Terra firme, palm, white sand and igapó
August 2017
The Amazonian rainforest is critical to our shared human future. Therefore, we need to understand the structure and function of their forests and soils are a critical part of that investigation. Towards that end, soil samples were taken in eight different forests, both non-flooded (terra firme-low forests, terra firme-high forests, white sand-varillal forests, white sand-chamizal forests and palm forests) and flooded by...
Soil respiration from paddy field in relation to incorporated cover crop biomass composition
July 2017
Winter cover crops are cultivated during cold fallow season in temperate countries for green manure and animal feed. Literature on incorporated biomass composition in relation to soil respiration like CH4-C and CO2-C is not available. Therefore, soil respiration as affected by variable biomass composition was determined from paddy soil. Soil respiration rate (1280-1341 kg ha-1) was significant when 197 and 204 day-old...
Assessment of anthropogenic influence on the level of selected heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in soil
July 2017
The study aimed at assessing potential influence of anthropogenic activities on the level of selected toxic heavy metals in soil in Tsumeb Township, Namibia. This was with a view of evaluating possible implications on human health and across the food chain. Soil samples were randomly collected from stratified areas and taken to the laboratory for pre-treatment and analysis. Soil metallic contents were extracted using...
Mitigating droughts effects on tropical agriculture systems: The role of improved soil management practices in regulating soil moisture, temperature and carbon losses
July 2017
Climate change is unequivocal and its threat on rain fed agriculture in the tropics is a fact. Changes in temperature, sparse and irregular rainfall, runoff patterns entail droughts extremes, excess evapotranspiration and loss of soil moisture. These items drive soil degradation, crop production, distribution, and supply of food, and subsequently food riot and social stability. Therefore, it urges to develop and improve...
Waterleaf (Talinum triangulare) response to biochar application in a humid-tropical forest soil
June 2017
Waterleaf (Talinum triangulare), like many other leafy vegetable is cultivated in home gardens to improve nutritional quality for the family and may provide additional income for female farmers. However, the role of Talinum cultivation is often counteracted by declining soil fertility. In recent years, biochar (pyrolysed biomass) has gained importance as a soil amendment tool. However, not much attention has been...
Improving available phosphorus in acidic soil using biochar
April 2017
Understanding of phosphorus (P) retention and release mechanisms provides crucial information for the effective management of phosphorus to enhance crop production and sustain soil. In acidic soil, available phosphorus is fixed by aluminum and iron. To overcome this problem, soils are limed to fix aluminum and iron. But this practice is not economical for small scale farmers and also it is not environmentally friendly....
Impact of Beressa river water quality on the chemical properties of soils along its bank
April 2017
Beressa is a major perennial river in the North Shewa Zone of Amhara regional state and it takes the north-west ward to join the Jema River, which form the tributary of the Blue Nile around a place known as Sundo Meskel near the lower side of Abay Bereha. On its natural flow way, the River provides different uses that can be determined in terms of environmental, economical and social values. However, the River is facing...
Evaluation of the effectiveness of soil and water conservation practices on improving selected soil properties in Wonago district, Southern Ethiopia
March 2017
Accelerated soil erosion remains the major challenge that is adversely affecting the agricultural performance in Ethiopia. Efforts towards soil and water conservation (SWC) goal were started since the mid-1970s and 80s to alleviate soil erosion and low crop productivity. However, the effectiveness of SWC practices on improving soil properties remains less studied. Soil physical analysis (%sand, silt and clay) and...
Description, characterization and classification of the major soils in Jinka Agricultural Research Center, South Western Ethiopia
March 2017
The soils of Jinka in Southern Ethiopia were studied based on the detail works on soil pit description, characterizing and classification following the FAO and USDA guidelines. For this, along with the topo-sequence and landscape, six soil profiles were opened on an area of 100 ha of research field to make them suit for sustainable soil management practices. The soils were generally described as dark reddish brown to...
Effect of applying different ratios of compost made of municipal solid waste on the growth of Zea mays L. (Corn)
March 2017
Since composts are soil like amendments made from plant and animal remains, they are more important than inorganic fertilizer because they consist of relatively stable decomposed materials resulting from accelerated biological degradation of organic matter. However, little attention has been paid on the use of compost as bio-fertilizers to improve soil structure, fertility and consequently ...
Carbon sequestration potential of East African Highland Banana cultivars (Musa spp. AAA-EAHB) cv. Kibuzi, Nakitembe, Enyeru and Nakinyika in Uganda
March 2017
Despite the global interest to increase the world's carbon stocks, most carbon sequestration strategies have largely depended on woody ecosystems whose production is threatened by the continuous shortage of land, hence the need to explore viable alternatives. The potential of bananas to sequester carbon has been reported but there is limited knowledge on the performance of various cultivars as specific carbon stocks...
Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stock response to traditional enclosure management in eastern Ethiopia
February 2017
Traditional area enclosures are widely used by pastoralists in East Africa. However, the response of basic soil properties to the establishment of traditional enclosure management remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of area enclosure on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen stock in the Bordade rangelands, eastern Ethiopia. The soil samples were collected from twelve area...
Spatial distribution of organic carbon and nitrogen in soils related to flood recurrence intervals and land use changes in Southern Québec, Canada
February 2017
Several hydromorphological and soil factors may be the cause of variations in the total organic carbon (TOC%) and total nitrogen (TN%) content of riparian soils. Despite the importance of these two essential components in soil-forming processes, few studies have focused on the variability of carbon and nitrogen content for soils subjected to frequent flooding. Successive floods may in fact result in soil depletion....
Community’s perception on soil erosion and their participation in soil conservation practices: A case study of Alaltu watershed of Najo District, Ethiopia
February 2017
Community’s perception of land degradation by erosion is a key social factor that is important in deciding options for controlling soil losses. Therefore, understanding Community’s knowledge and their perception and factors that influence their land management practices are of paramount importance for promoting sustainable land use in the study area. Community of the study area have good perception of soil...
Effect of compost and earthworm production on soil properties, growth and dry matter yield of maize in crude oil degraded soil
January 2017
The effect of compost and earthworm production on soil properties, growth and dry-matter yield of maize in crude oil degraded soil was studied. The treatment consisted of 250 g crude oil degraded soil (DS) and 50 g each of four different compost materials mixed differently with 250 g of degraded soil, and the compost were cassava peels (CP), cassava peels + poultry manure (PC), cassava peels + pig manure (GC) and...
Influence of wood charcoal from Chlorophera excelsa on soil properties and yield components of maize
January 2017
Wood charcoals were mainly used for smoking of fish, meat and frying of corns and many times dump off as wastes in southeast, Nigeria. Their nutrient recycles and release when used as soil amendment has not been considered and evaluated by farmers in the southeast, Nigeria. This study was therefore carried out to assess the efficiency of wood charcoal technology in improving soil productivity. Influence of wood charcoal...
Impact of deforestation and subsequent cultivation on soil fertility in Komto, Western Ethiopia
December 2016
The study examined the impact of deforestation and subsequent cultivation on soil fertility and acidity conditions under varying soil depths. Soil profiles were opened in two adjacent land units, namely forestland and arable land and samples were collected from genetic horizons. Deterioration of soil fertility was observed after deforestation and traditional cultivation. The main aim of deforestation was agricultural...
Values of organic materials as fertilizers to northern Nigerian crop production systems
December 2016
Organic materials, the combined products of different animal and plant sources, play vital roles in agricultural crop production systems. They are more environmental friendly than inorganic fertilizers and added many values to soil and crop production, economically. They sustain and restore soil inherent properties, enhance soil biological activities and potentially increase crop yields, which are safe for human...
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