Soil Loss Under Row Cropping of Sweet Potato, Soybean and Two Small Fruit Crops in Northern Alabama

Abstract

Research was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing vegetable and small fruit crops as a means of controlling soil erosion on a limited-resource farm. The crops selected were sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas , two small fruit crops of brambles / (Rubus spp.), and soybean (G ycine mar). Soybean was used as a control crop to compare the effectiveness of these crops in controlling erosion and their financial potential since most of the farmers used soybean in their farmin operations. Runoff was collected from P nineteen and eleven rainfal events from May through September 1986 and 1987, respectively, usin a modified Gerlach trough method. The runoff was analyzed to f etermine soil loss, particle size fractions of the eroded sediment, and organic matter [hat was removed with the soil particles. In addition, the duration and intensity of rainfall and percent vegetative cover were recorded for each rain-fall event. Soil and organic matter losses were significantly affected by crop type, canopy cover, rainfall duration, and the month in which the rainfall occurred. Sweet potato was most effective and ras berry the least effective in reducing soil loss and runoff. The re l uced soil loss and runoff from the sweet potato plots were attributed to higher percentage of ground cover and the ridge-planting technique used. The high soil loss and runoff from the raspberry plots were attributed to poor stand development and low percentage of ground cover. The article size fractions of the eroded sediments were enerally not af ected by crop type but b rainfall intensity. P P The b ackberry crop appeared to be more suite (Y for north Alabama than raspberry based on the ield produced. Even though the labor and cost of production of t i e vegetable and bramble crops were higher than for soybean, the net return was also higher.