scholarly journals Soil Carbon Sequestration, CO2 Emission, and Soil Quality under Smallholder Farmers’ Fields in Southern Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanuel Laekemariam
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Pulse Field ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Fallow Land ◽  
Main Field ◽  
Smallholder Farms

Abstract BackgroundSoil organic carbon (SOC) is key indicator of soil quality and health. It has quite a lot of benefits to the ecosystem. Information on the magnitude of carbon pool under field scale of subsistence farms is scanty. This study was aimed to assess SOC storage, CO2 emissions and soil quality, under different fields in smallholder farms of southern Ethiopia. Five fields within a farm were investigated viz. coffee (Coffea arabica L.), enset (Ensete ventricosum), root and tuber crop field (RTC), cereal and pulse field (main field) and fallow land. For each field, eight representative farms that make a total of 40 farms were randomly selected. Surface soil samples were collected, and analyzed to determine soil physico-chemical properties. SOC stock (t ha-1), C-sequestration, and CO2 emission were also computed.ResultsThe result showed that the field that sequestered more OC and emitted less CO2 was Coffee > Enset > RTC > main field > fallow land. C-stock and sequestration (t/ha) magnitude was being: coffee (81.4, 298.5), enset (75.5, 277.0), RTC (68.8, 252.6), main field (57.5, 211.0) and fallow (43.3, 159). Using coffee field as least CO2 emitter and as the base value for comparison, the percentage increment in CO2 emission out of the sequestered carbon was 7.2% (enset), 15.4% (RTC), 29.3% (main field) and 46.7% (Fallow).The result regarding soil quality further revealed significant differences in almost all of investigated parameters. The minimum and maximum values being recorded in all fields were: bulk density (BD) (1.05, 1.29 gm cm-3), pH (6.1, 7.0), SOC (1.1, 2.48%), TN (0.09-0.19%), available P (1.1, 70.9 mg/kg), total exchangeable bases (9.5, 20.5 Cmolc/kg), K/Mg (0.37,1.02), B (0.4, 1.2 mg/kg) Cu (0.32, 0.91 mg/kg), Zn (5, 20.5 mg/kg), Fe (105.5, 133.8 mg/kg) and CEC (18.6, 27.5 mg/kg). Fields in the backyard (enset and coffee) showed lowest BD and maximum values of soil chemical properties. On contrary, highest BD and lowest values of chemical parameter were observed in main and fallow fields. Soil deterioration index (%) relative to coffee field for OC, N, P, and K in their order was as follows: enset [-2.8, 0, 254.5, 23.1], RTC [-17.7, -31.6, -59.5, -34.6], main field [-35, -47.4,-79, -46] and fallow [-55.7, -52.6, -94.5,and -76.9].ConclusionDifferent fields within smallholder farms exhibited significant variation in amount of carbon sequestered, CO2 emission, soil degradation and soil quality. Thus, climate smart soil management practices that would enhance SOC and simultaneously increasing soil quality is suggested e.g., integrated nutrient management.

scholarly journals Carbon Stock, Sequestration and Soil Properties among Fields in Smallholder Farms in Southern Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanuel Laekemariam
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Co2 Emission ◽  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Fallow Land ◽  
Smallholder Farms ◽  
Crop Field ◽  
C Stock

Abstract Background Soil organic carbon (SOC) is key indicator of soil quality and health. It has substantial benefits to the ecosystem. Information on the magnitude of carbon pools under field scale of subsistence farms is scanty. This study aimed to assess carbon stock, sequestration and soil properties among different fields in smallholder farms of southern Ethiopia. Five field types within a farm were investigated viz. coffee (Coffea arabica L.), enset (Ensete ventricosum), root and tuber crop field (RTC), crop field used for growing cereals and pulses, and fallow land. For each field, eight representative fields as a replication were selected. Surface soil samples were collected, and analyzed to determine soil physico-chemical properties. In addition, C stock, C-sequestration, and CO2 emission were also evaluated. Results The result regarding soil properties revealed significant differences in almost all of investigated parameters. The minimum and maximum values being recorded were: bulk density (BD) (1.05, 1.29 gm cm-3), pH (6.1, 7.0), SOC (1.1, 2.48%), TN (0.09-0.19%), available P (1.1, 70.9 mg/kg), total exchangeable bases (9.5, 20.5 Cmolc/kg), K/Mg (0.37,1.02), B (0.4, 1.2 mg/kg) Cu (0.32, 0.91 mg/kg), Zn (5, 20.5 mg/kg), Fe (105.5, 133.8 mg/kg) and CEC (18.6, 27.5 mg/kg). Fields in the backyard (enset and coffee) showed lowest BD and maximum values of soil chemical properties. On contrary, highest BD and lowest values of chemical parameters were observed in crop and fallow fields. The result further indicated that the field that stocked and sequestered more carbon, and emitted less CO2 was coffee > enset > RTC > crop field > fallow land. C-stock and sequestration (t/ha) magnitude was being: coffee (81.4, 298.5), enset (75.5, 277.0), RTC (68.8, 252.6), crop field (57.5, 211.0) and fallow (43.3, 159). Using coffee field as least CO2 emitter and as the base value for comparison, the percentage increment in CO2 emission out of the sequestered carbon was 7.2% (enset), 15.4% (RTC), 29.3% (crop field) and 46.7% (fallow).Soil deterioration index (%) relative to coffee field for OC, N, P, and K in their order was as follows: enset [-2.8, 0, 254.5, 23.1], RTC [-17.7, -31.6, -59.5, -34.6], crop field [-35, -47.4,-79, -46] and fallow [-55.7, -52.6, -94.5,and -76.9]. Conclusion Different fields within smallholder farms exhibited significant variation in amount of carbon sequestered, CO2 emission, soil degradation and soil properties. Thus, climate smart soil management practices that would enhance carbon pool and simultaneously increasing soil quality are suggested e.g., integrated nutrient management.

scholarly journals Studies on Integrated Nutrient Management of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata l.): A Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 148-154
Author(s):  
Bimesh Dahal
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Integrated Nutrient Management ◽  
Yield Attributes ◽  
The Status ◽  
Physical Attributes ◽  
Physical And Chemical

There are many management methods for nutrient which can be specifically applied in farming systems. Integrated nutrient management (INM) generally denotes the combined use of organic and chemical fertilizers for producing crops in a sustainable manner and to maintain soil fertility as well as to supply nutrient in appropriate amount which consider social, ecological and economic impacts. This paper shows the importance and need of INM in agriculture production. Also, the relation of INM and yield attributes are analyzed and evaluated including growth and physical attributes of cowpea. The status of nutrient uptake by plant is also described along with other physical and chemical properties of soil. Finally, this paper also describes about the biofertilizer and its relation, impact and effect on crop production which can be used as a improved technology with the combination of other nutrient management practices.

Evaluation of long-term soil management practices using key indicators and soil quality indices in a semi-arid tropical Alfisol

Soil Research ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 368 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Sharma ◽  
J. Kusuma Grace ◽  
Uttam Kumar Mandal ◽  
Pravin N. Gajbhiye ◽  
K. Srinivas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Central Research ◽  
Quality Indices ◽  
Available N ◽  
Nutrient Use ◽  
Key Indicators ◽  
Semi Arid

Alfisol soils of rainfed semi-arid tropics (SAT) are degrading due to several physical, chemical, and biological constraints. Appropriate soil-nutrient management practices may help to check further soil degradation. A long-term experiment comprising tillage and conjunctive nutrient use treatments under a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)–mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilkzec) system was conducted during 1998–05 on SAT Alfisols (Typic Haplustalf) at the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad. The study evaluated soil and nutrient management treatments for their long-term influence on soil quality using key indicators and soil quality indices (SQI). Of the 21 soil quality parameters considered for study, easily oxidisable N (KMnO4 oxidisable-N), DTPA extractable Zn and Cu, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), mean weight diameter (MWD) of soil aggregates, and hydraulic conductivity (HC) played a major role in influencing the soil quality and were designated as the key indicators of ‘soil quality’ for this system. The SQI obtained by the integration of key indicators varied from 0.66 (unamended control) to 0.83 (4 Mg compost + 20 kg N as urea) under conventional tillage (CT), and from 0.66 (control) to 0.89 (4 Mg compost + 2 Mg gliricidia loppings) under reduced tillage (RT). Tillage did not influence the SQI, whereas the conjunctive nutrient-use treatments had a significant effect. On an average, under both CT and RT, the sole organic treatment improved the soil quality by 31.8% over the control. The conjunctive nutrient-use treatments improved soil quality by 24.2–27.2%, and the sole inorganic treatment by 18.2% over the control. Statistically, the treatments improved soil quality in the following order: 4 Mg compost + 2 Mg gliricidia loppings > 2 Mg Gliricidia loppings + 20 kg N as urea = 4 Mg compost + 20 kg N as urea > 40 kg N as urea. The percentage contribution of the key indicators towards the SQI was: MBC (28.5%), available N (28.6%), DTPA-Zn (25.3%), DTPA-Cu (8.6%), HC (6.1%), and MWD (2.9%). The functions predicting the changes in yield and sustainability yield index with a given change in SQI were also determined.

scholarly journals Effect of Crop Geometry and Nutrient Management Approaches on Soil Properties and Availability of Nutrients under Transplanted Finger Millet

2021 ◽  
pp. 251-259
Author(s):  
A. Aliveni ◽  
B. Venkateswarlu ◽  
M. Sree Rekha ◽  
P. R. K. Prasad ◽  
K. Jayalalitha
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Finger Millet ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Agricultural College ◽  
Management Approaches ◽  
Absolute Control

The present investigation was conducted for two consecutive years with the objective to know various crop geometries and nutrient management approaches on soil chemical properties at Agricultural college farm, Bapatla. The experimental design was split plot with three replications. The present study comprised of three crop geometries with different age of seedlings (30x10 cm with 30 days old seedlings, 30x30 cm with 15 days old seedlings and 45x45 cm with 15 days old seedlings) and seven nutrient management practices (S0: absolute control, S1: FYM @ 10 tonnes ha-1 + application of dravajeevamrutham, S2: FYM @ 10 tonnes ha-1 + application of  dravajeevamrutham along with wooden log treatment, S3: FYM @ 10 tonnes ha-1 + 100% RDF, S4: FYM @ 10 tonnes ha-1 + 100% RDF along with wooden log treatment, S5: FYM @ 10 tonnes ha-1 + 125% RDF, S6: FYM @ 10 tonnes ha-1 + 125% RDF along with wooden log treatment in subplots were given to kharif finger millet. integrated application of FYM @ 10 tonnes ha-1 + 125% RDF along with wooden log treatment (S6) resulted in higher organic carbon and nutrient status of the soil and reduced C:N ratio of the soil significantly though other soil properties were non significant due to various crop geometries and nutrient management treatments.

scholarly journals Soil Carbon:An Overview on Soil Carbon Function and its Fractionation

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 178-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumari Priyanka ◽  
Anshumali Anshumali
Keyword(s):  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Aggregate Size ◽  
Chemical Fractionation ◽  
Turnover Rates ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
Soil Features ◽  
Carbon Reservoir

The atmospheric carbon reservoir is significantly affected by change in lithogenic carbon reservoir. Carbon reservoir of soil is strongly influenced by the interaction between different biogeochemical cycles and environmental processes. At the local scale land use and soil management have also a significant impact on the soil carbon pool. Soil carbon is the major determinant of soil quality and agronomic viability because of its influence on other soil features. Different fractionation procedure is often described in terms of the soil organic matter (SOM) pool sizes, chemical properties, and turnover rates. Soil carbon separation includes physical and chemical methods and their combinations in a sequence. Separation of soil carbon according to soil aggregate size, density and magnetic properties is termed as physical separation whiles their solubility, oxidizability, hydrolysability is used in chemical fractionation. Carbon fractionation is a useful tool for observing the changes in different labile, recalcitrant and total pool of soil carbon. Thus, helpful in making decision to locals for adopting proper management practices suitable for a particular soil type in response to economic productivity and soil quality.

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