Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands
Intensification of rainfed agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands has resulted in soil degradation and hardpan formation, which has reduced rooting depth, decreased deep percolation, and increased direct runoff and sediment transport. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of subsoiling on surface runoff, sediment loss, soil water content, infiltration rate, and maize yield. Three tillage treatments were replicated at five locations: (i) no tillage (zero tillage), (ii) conventional tillage (ox-driven Maresha plow, up to a depth of 15 cm), and (iii) manual deep ripping of the soil’s restrictive layers down to a depth of 60 cm (deep till). Results show that the posttreatment bulk density and penetration resistance of deep tillage was significantly less than in the traditional tillage and zero-tillage systems. In addition, the posttreatment infiltration rate for deep tillage was significantly greater, which resulted in significantly smaller runoff and sedimentation rates compared to conventional tillage and zero tillage. Maize yields were improved by 6% under deep tillage compared to conventional tillage and by 29% compared to no tillage. Overall, our findings show that deep tillage can be effective in overcoming some of the detrimental effects of hardpans in degraded soils.
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Format: | Journal Article biblioteca |
Language: | English |
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MDPI
2019-10-24
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Subjects: | agricultural production, deep tillage, soil degradation, humid zones, highlands, watersheds, conventional tillage, hardpans, sediment, rain, runoff, soil loss, soil moisture, infiltration, maize, crop yield, ecology, |
Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/106444 https://doi.org/10.3390/land8110159 |
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dig-cgspace-10568-1064442023-12-08T19:36:04Z Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands Hussein, Misbah A. Muche, Habtamu Schmitter, Petra S. Nakawuka, Prossie Tilahun, Seifu A. Langan, Simon J. Barron, Jennie Steenhuis, Tammo S. agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology Intensification of rainfed agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands has resulted in soil degradation and hardpan formation, which has reduced rooting depth, decreased deep percolation, and increased direct runoff and sediment transport. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of subsoiling on surface runoff, sediment loss, soil water content, infiltration rate, and maize yield. Three tillage treatments were replicated at five locations: (i) no tillage (zero tillage), (ii) conventional tillage (ox-driven Maresha plow, up to a depth of 15 cm), and (iii) manual deep ripping of the soil’s restrictive layers down to a depth of 60 cm (deep till). Results show that the posttreatment bulk density and penetration resistance of deep tillage was significantly less than in the traditional tillage and zero-tillage systems. In addition, the posttreatment infiltration rate for deep tillage was significantly greater, which resulted in significantly smaller runoff and sedimentation rates compared to conventional tillage and zero tillage. Maize yields were improved by 6% under deep tillage compared to conventional tillage and by 29% compared to no tillage. Overall, our findings show that deep tillage can be effective in overcoming some of the detrimental effects of hardpans in degraded soils. 2019-10-24 2020-01-06T08:15:56Z 2020-01-06T08:15:56Z Journal Article Hussein, M. A.; Muche, H.; Schmitter, Petra; Nakawuka, P.; Tilahun, S. A.; Langan, Simon; Barron, Jennie; Steenhuis, T. S. 2019. Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands. Land, 8(11):1-15. doi: 10.3390/land8110159 2073-445X https://hdl.handle.net/10568/106444 https://doi.org/10.3390/land8110159 en CC-BY-4.0 Open Access 1-15 MDPI Land |
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agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology |
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agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology Hussein, Misbah A. Muche, Habtamu Schmitter, Petra S. Nakawuka, Prossie Tilahun, Seifu A. Langan, Simon J. Barron, Jennie Steenhuis, Tammo S. Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
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Intensification of rainfed agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands has resulted in soil degradation and hardpan formation, which has reduced rooting depth, decreased deep percolation, and increased direct runoff and sediment transport. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of subsoiling on surface runoff, sediment loss, soil water content, infiltration rate, and maize yield. Three tillage treatments were replicated at five locations: (i) no tillage (zero tillage), (ii) conventional tillage (ox-driven Maresha plow, up to a depth of 15 cm), and (iii) manual deep ripping of the soil’s restrictive layers down to a depth of 60 cm (deep till). Results show that the posttreatment bulk density and penetration resistance of deep tillage was significantly less than in the traditional tillage and zero-tillage systems. In addition, the posttreatment infiltration rate for deep tillage was significantly greater, which resulted in significantly smaller runoff and sedimentation rates compared to conventional tillage and zero tillage. Maize yields were improved by 6% under deep tillage compared to conventional tillage and by 29% compared to no tillage. Overall, our findings show that deep tillage can be effective in overcoming some of the detrimental effects of hardpans in degraded soils. |
format |
Journal Article |
topic_facet |
agricultural production deep tillage soil degradation humid zones highlands watersheds conventional tillage hardpans sediment rain runoff soil loss soil moisture infiltration maize crop yield ecology |
author |
Hussein, Misbah A. Muche, Habtamu Schmitter, Petra S. Nakawuka, Prossie Tilahun, Seifu A. Langan, Simon J. Barron, Jennie Steenhuis, Tammo S. |
author_facet |
Hussein, Misbah A. Muche, Habtamu Schmitter, Petra S. Nakawuka, Prossie Tilahun, Seifu A. Langan, Simon J. Barron, Jennie Steenhuis, Tammo S. |
author_sort |
Hussein, Misbah A. |
title |
Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
title_short |
Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
title_full |
Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
title_fullStr |
Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid Ethiopian highlands |
title_sort |
deep tillage improves degraded soils in the (sub) humid ethiopian highlands |
publisher |
MDPI |
publishDate |
2019-10-24 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/106444 https://doi.org/10.3390/land8110159 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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