CHANGES IN CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF AN ENTISOL IN LIVING-WALL TERRACES AND THEIR RELATION WITH CORN YIELD
The development of living wall terraces involves the transfer of topsoil from the donor section to the receiver section; the movement involves plowing and natural erosion, within the limits of each terrace. The objective of this study was to evaluate, after 13 cropping seasons, the change in soil properties as a result of conditioning of the terrace by applications of fertilizer and maize (Zea mays L.) residues to the soil. When the final top soil properties (10-20 cm) were compared with the original state, it was found that on the average across two treatments with terraces, three positions along the slope and three sections within each terrace (18 samples x 2 replications), the pH decreased from 6.21 to 5.78, the organic matter changed from 2.71 to 2.13 %, the exchangeable K decreased from 0.40 to 0.25 cmol kg-1 and the exchangeable Ca decreased from 7.73 to 4.65 cmol kg-1. On the other hand, total N increased from 0.140 to 0.166 %, and Mg from 5.18 to 5.95 cmol kg-1. The following soil properties were considered as suitable predictors of corn yield: organic matter, exchangeable Ca and Mg, and the indexes of soluble organic carbon. It was concluded that terrace conditioning slightly decreased soil fertility, mainly on the donor section of the terrace. This situation could be restored by planting cover crops for adding organic matter into the soil.
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Colegio de Postgraduados
1999
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| Online Access: | https://www.agrociencia-colpos.org/index.php/agrociencia/article/view/1606 |
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