The Impact of Conservation Agricultural Practices on Soil Carbon and Nutrients, in Bako Tibe District, Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

With the obcetives of  assessing  the effect of different conservation agriculture practices on soil carbon and nutrients in Bako District, six treartments were selected for the study namely: Monocropping (maize) without crop residue, Monocropping (maize) with crop residue, Crop rotation (mazie and haricot bean) with crop residue, Inter cropping (Haricot bean with maize) with crop residue  and Pigeon pea shurb specie planted as a hedge row and including a near by grazing land (Orginal land use).  A completely randomized design with four replications was used. A total of 48 composite soil samples (4 replication * 6 treatments * 2 soil depth: 0– 10 cm and 10–30 cm) were collected and analyzed for soil carbon and nutrients.  The soils in the study area were moderately acidic, and contain medium level of  AP, but low concentration of total N. Soil pH, SOC, TN, C:N, and AP did not significantly different among the treartments after four years of conservation agricutural practices. Therefore, conservation agriculture has little effect on SOC and other soil nutrients in short term, but it may take longer time to influence soil organic Carbon and nutrients in  the study area.

Keywords: Crop rotation; grazing land; intercropping; nutrients; soil organic carbon; crop residue.