Abstract
Cultivation on steep slopes without any kind of soil conservation methods causes’ major erosion phenomenon, in Nyabihu District of Rwanda radical terraces has been implemented in order to decrease soil erosion effect. This study aimed at assessing the impact of this radical terracing on the soil chemical properties. Soil samples was collected before and after terracing and analyzed for pH, organic matter, available phosphorous, exchangeable calcium, magnesium and potassium; cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen and total exchangeable acidity. The pH and organic matter was analyzed respectively using a pH-meter and calcinations method, while the available phosphorous were obtained using the MEHLICH III method, exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+ by titrimetric, potassium, cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen and total exchangeable acidity were determined using the K-kit method, Nessler method, mineralization and titrimetric method respectively. The results from the soil samples analyzed showed that terracing have an impact on soil chemical properties of the soil. All the studied properties decreased except the total exchangeable acidity which increased, therefore, the soil after terracing needs improvement of its fertility and productivity; through sufficient agricultural inputs both mineral and organic.
Highlights
Soils are that portion of earth in which land plant can grow, if water and temperature are adequate [1]; Soil has four major components
This difference is the results of the decreasing level of organic matter; and this is explained by the fact that weathered tropical soils contain lower amounts of Ca2+ and Mg2+ and K+ [14]
The decreasing cation exchange capacity (CEC) after terracing was confirmed by the results found by [15]; saying that in the transformed plots the cation exchangeable capacity (CEC) and base saturation (BS) decreased, and these are in agreements with obtained results
Summary
Soils are that portion of earth in which land plant can grow, if water and temperature are adequate [1]; Soil has four major components. Land is degraded due soil erosion which has turned into a major agricultural and environmental problem worldwide [3] and it remain significant threats for most agricultural lands [4] and constitute a limiting factor for the per capita food production growth in several locations especially in the African countries [5,6]. Land degradation implies reduction of resource potential by one or a combination of processes acting on land. These processes include water erosion, wind erosion, and sedimentation by those agents, resulting in long term reduction in amount or diversity of natural vegetation, etc. These processes include water erosion, wind erosion, and sedimentation by those agents, resulting in long term reduction in amount or diversity of natural vegetation, etc. water erosion is a general problem in Rwanda where rainfall in mountains plays an important role in soil degradation [7]
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