Assessment of Soil Quality in AndosolsUsing Silvopastoral Systems
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Fecha
2018-09-05
Autores
Vargas Hernández, Silvino
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ISSN de la revista
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Resumen
Abstract:
Background:
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of redesign and management upon soil quality variation using three agro-ecosystems: agro-ecosystem A1 (grasses, Alnus acuminataKunth); agro-ecosystem A2 (grasses, Acacia melanoxylonR. Br.) and
agro-ecosystem A3 (Rangeland).
Methods:
The trees were planted along the contour lines in December 2015. The total area was divided into three agro-ecosystems (AES).
These consisted of 7.50, 4.64 and 6.25 ha managed with ten to eleven cows in A1, A2 and A3 respectively. The AES were divided
into paddocks by means of electric fences. Composite soil samples were evaluated at the baseline and ten months later. Principles of
rational grass management were applied with low input sustainable agriculture. The tree population density was 1000 ha
-1
, planted in
double rows, separated two meters apart. The genetic composition of dairy cows was 80 and 20% of Holstein and crossbreed
Holstein x Jersey, respectively.
Results:
The effect of interaction between AES x year was not found. The effect of the agro-ecosystems upon the soil quality only showed
significant differences (p <0.05) in pH (5.64, 5.68, 5.55); SOM (14.65, 16.11, 16.23); P
2
O
5
(34.67, 19.50, 33.48) and K
2
O (.16, .19,
.12) meq 100 mL
-1
to A1, A2 y A3, respectively. On the contrary, the year´s effect showed differences (p <0.05) on chemical
variables: NH
4
(-83.00 ppm); SOM (-1.91%); P
2
O
5
(-10.79 ppm); K
2
O (-.04) meq 100 mL
-1
and Mg (-.42) meq 100 mL
-1
, excepted pH
(.025) and Ca (1.04) meq 100 mL
-1
when it was compared 2015 vs. 2016. It is suggested to continue evaluating the dynamics of soil
chemical variables in the subsequent two years to find out the real potential capacity of soil-plant-animal-management interactions to
enhance soil quality of Andosolsin dairy sector, Carchi province, Ecuador.
Descripción
Palabras clave
Andosols, Chemical Variables, Silvopastoral Systems, Soil Quality, Agro-ecosystem, Paddocks
Citación
Rosales, Hernán R. B., Silvino V. Hernández, Digna I. G. Aguiar, Diego C. Rosero, Luis C. Perez and Marcelo I. Rosero.
2018. Assessment of Soil Quality in Andosols Using Silvopastoral Systems. The Open Agriculture Journal DOI:
10.2174/1874331501812010207, Volume 12, Pp.207-214.