Loss Of Soil Fertility Research Articles

Effects of Conservation Agriculture and Conventional Tillage on the Soil Physicochemical Properties and Household Income in Southern Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, soil degradation has been ongoing for centuries and caused the population to be food insecured. To cope with the challenges of soil fertility loss and related stress, various indigenous reclamation practices have been developed and implemented by local smallholder farmers. However, the contributions of indigenous soil management in augmenting soil quality and crop productivity were not well studied. This study selected two neighboring districts, Derashe and Arba Minch Zuriya, with different indigenous soil management practices. The Derashe people as an adaptation strategy designed indigenous soil management, locally known as Targa-na-Potayta with zero tillage, and mixed/rotational cropping. However, in the neighboring Arba Minch Zuriya district, smallholder farmers use conventional tillage using animal power. Representative soil samples were collected from selected four adjacent kebeles of the two districts. Eight farm plots per kebele were selected and a total of 32 composite samples were collected following a zigzag pattern to the depth of 30 cm. Bulk density (BD), field capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), particle size, soil textural classes, power of hydrogen (pH), cation exchange capacity (CEC), available potassium (Av. K), available phosphorous (Av. P), total nitrogen (TN), exchangeable bases (Na, Mg, Ca, and K), and soil organic carbon (OC) were analyzed. To assess crop production and income, a total of 392 household heads were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test. The results showed, soils under indigenous management, clay content was 53.74 ± 2.68%, FC 47.8 ± 1.09%, AWHC 15.2 ± 0.37%, pH 8.02 ± 0.07, SOC 1.8 ± 0.02%, and sum of cations 68.2 ± 1.66 meq/100 g. The values in the tested parameters were statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ) and favor good soil management practice as compared to conventional tillage. Using the three consecutive cultivation seasons, CA and CT groups’ mean production from pooled annual crops was 81.28 and 51.03Q ha-1, respectively. CA and CT groups’ mean gross income from annual crops was 98,250.15 ETB ($2751.78) ha-1 and 71,099.48 ETB ($1993.4) ha-1, respectively. Considering the pooled three consecutive cultivation seasons, CA and CT groups’ income from annual + perennial crops was 93,405.29 ETB ($2870.69) ha-1 and 280,721.73 ETB ($8325.17) ha-1, respectively. CA and CT groups’ per annum income from annual + perennial crops was 49,672.86 ETB ($1444.82) ha-1 and 157,980.60 ETB ($4595.13) ha-1, respectively. To sustainably maximize the productivity of the land, conventional tillage practicing smallholder farmers need to integrate the indigenous soil management approach—Targa-na-Potayta. Besides, the benefits of Targa-na-Potayta as sustainable agricultural land management practice need to be scaled out with policy support.

Safety Level of Microorganism-Bearing Products Applied in Soil-Plant Systems.

The indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers adversely affects ecological health and soil microbiota provoking loss of soil fertility and greater pathogen and pest presence in soil-plant systems, which further reduce the quality of food and human health. Therefore, the sustainability, circular economy, environmental safety of agricultural production, and health concerns made possible the practical realization of eco-friendly biotechnological approaches like organic matter amendments, biofertilizers, biopesticides, and reuse of agro-industrial wastes by applying novel and traditional methods and processes. However, the advancement in the field of Biotechnology/Agriculture is related to the safety of these microorganism-bearing products. While the existing regulations in this field are well-known and are applied in the preparation and application of waste organic matter and microbial inoculants, more attention should be paid to gene transfer, antibiotic resistance, contamination of the workers and environment in farms and biotech-plants, and microbiome changes. These risks should be carefully assessed, and new analytical tools and regulations should be applied to ensure safe and high-quality food and a healthy environment for people working in the field of bio-based soil amendments.

Pesticides use in potato cultivation

After rice, wheat, and maize, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is India's fourth most significant food crop. In India, the cultivation of this crop has altered over the last few decades, becoming increasingly reliant on fertilisers and pesticides. Through a simple random survey approach, the current study seeks to assess understanding of the farmer community about the environmental implications of potato agriculture. Farmers in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, India, which is a significant potato growing district, were interviewed for primary data. According to this survey, a considerable number of farmers (65.6 percent) are aware of the issue of soil-fertility loss in the cultivated field as a result of the use of chemical fertilisers. Applying greater amount of fertiliser than the prescribed amount by the manufacturer with the loss of fertility over the years is another issue of concern. Negligible percentage of farmers (2.7%) employ regular soil-testing for fertility assessment. Amount of pesticide used on the other hand is dependent on several factors like breeds of potato, pest species infestation, infection of plant disease etc.

Effects of Climate Change on Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) Production in Itu District, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

This study assessed the effects of climate change on fluted pumpkin production and mitigation/adaptation measures used by farmers in Itu District, Itu LGA of Akwa Ibom State in Southern Nigeria. Random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were adopted for the selection of respondents comprising 100 fluted pumpkin farmers; 10 from each of the 10 communities that make up Itu District. FGD was used to elicit data on effects of climate change on fluted pumpkin production and climate change mitigation/adaptation measures. The study found the farmers perceived low yield of fluted pumpkin, loss of soil fertility, erosion, and declining family income as the major effects of climate change on fluted pumpkin production. Combination of fluted pumpkin production with other income generating activities was also found to be the most widely used mitigation/adaptation measure. The study recommended government effort through agricultural extension services and agricultural development programmes to mitigate/adapt climate change impacts by adopting improved varieties of fluted pumpkin seedlings, agricultural diversification, accurate and timely weather forecasting, use of cover crops, and disseminating up-to-date climate change information. Formation of co-operative societies among farmers to pool resources to fight the effects of climate change was also encouraged.

Overpopulation and Agricultural Land Degradation in The Republic of Niger

This paper aims to review and present relevant literature on the land degradation crisis in the Republic of Niger in order to recommend an appropriate policy objective. Unsustainable agricultural practices are responsible for the deforestation, desertification, and loss of soil fertility that constitute Niger’s land degradation crisis. The term “agricultural land degradation” is established to describe land degradation that is prompted almost entirely by agriculture. Overpopulation is the principal driving factor of agricultural land degradation in Niger. The strong presence of gender inequality in the nation contributes to this overpopulation crisis. Therefore, the author suggests increasing the time young women spend in school as a policy measure for combating agricultural land degradation in the Republic of Niger.

Spatial modeling of soil salinity using kriging interpolation techniques: A study case in the Great Hungarian Plain

The world’s current task is to ensure food security for an ever-growing population of 7.674 billion in 2019. Soil degradation threatens sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid climates, where evaporation rates outweigh precipitation. Soluble salts concentrated in the subsoil under certain climatic conditions influence soil physicochemical properties, leading to soil fertility and biodiversity losses. Hence, understanding salinity behavior and its spatial variation are crucial for natural resources management to achieve and maintain sustainability. This study aims to model soil salinity spatial distribution using four kriging interpolation methods, i.e., ordinary kriging (OK), empirical Bayesian kriging (EBK), co-kriging (CK), and indicator kriging (IK). Two hundred twenty-two soil samples were collected for this purpose during a field campaign conducted in the Hungarian Soil Monitoring System framework in 2016. The performance of kriging methods was assessed and compared using two cross-validations, i.e., leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) and the holdout method. The Pearson correlation analysis has been used to expose a significant moderate correlation between salt content and cation exchange capacity (CEC) with a correlation coefficient of 0.4 and a p-value of 0.003. Thus, the spatial relationship between soil salinity content (SSC) and CEC was integrated into the model to enhance predictions in areas where no measurements were accessible. The study demonstrated co-kriging efficiency by reducing the mean squared error (MSE) of ordinary kriging (OK) from 0.8 g/kg and 0.85 g/kg for LOOCV and the holdout cross-validation to 0.3 g/kg.

Strengthening the Mitigation of Climate Change Impacts in Slovakia through the Disaggregation of Cultural Landscapes

This article presents the results of research on the possibilities of fragmentation of cultural, and especially agricultural, landscapes in a selected locality in eastern Slovakia, which is currently characterized by a high proportion of large-scale soil units used for growing cereals and crops subsequently used as energy sources (maize and oilseed rape, among others). Slovakia, as the country with the largest average field area in the European Union (EU), is facing a process of fragmentation of these units to counter climate change and increase the resilience of the landscape to erosion, soil fertility, and biodiversity loss. This paper presents a fragmentation method based on the restoration of former dividing lines, mainly formed by dirt roads, based on the historical mapping. The results show that in this way it is possible to achieve denser landscape fragmentation, to create dividing green belts, to increase the resilience of the environment to water and wind erosion, and to create an environment for pollinator resources and a background for plants and animals in the landscape, while respecting the ergometric routing of the dividing lines and the ownership relations of the land. Last but not least, benefits have been quantified in the form of carbon capture, as well as in the construction of a network of recreational or hiking trails.

Soil governance and sustainable agriculture in Mexico

Soils provide multiple ecosystem services fundamental to the continuity of life on the planet. This valuable natural resource is directly and indirectly linked to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially through activities related to agri-food systems; however, soils have not been sufficiently valued. In Mexico more than half of the soils present some level of degradation and in a quarter of production units the main problem is the loss of soil fertility. In this context, sustainable soil management (SSM) represents the only way to recover soils. The governance of soils is essential to be implemented them in a locally adaptable framework. In the case of Mexico, the development of national strategies that integrate comprehensive, fair, and effective governance as the axis of actions aimed at the restoration and sustainable management of soil is fundamental to move forward to SSM.

Triticum aestivum response to Xanthobacter autotrophicus and Bacillus thuringiensis optimized by crude extract carbon nano particles and 50% of NH4 NO3

Triticum aestivum requires nitrogen fertilizer (NF) as NH4NO3 for healthy growth, however its excessive application causes loss of soil fertility. An alternative to decrease the amount of NH4NO3 and to optimize is to inoculate T. aestivum seeds with Xanthobacter autotrophicus or/and Bacillus thuringiensis well known asendophytic plant growth promoting bacteria (EPGPB). Both genera and species of EPGPB are able transform metabolic compounds from seeds and roots into phyto hormones, which can be optimized by crude extract carbon nano particles (CECNPs) to enhance the growth of radical system and to improve uptake at 50% dose of NH4NO3 Response variables were: germination percentage, phenology, and biomass to seedling stage. All experimental data were validated by ANOVA/Tukey HSD P<0.05. Seeds of T. aestivum were inoculated with X. autotrophicus and/or B. thuringiensis, plus CECNPs at 50% NH4NO3. Results showed a positive response of T. aestivum seeds to X. autotrophicus and/or B. thuringiensis, with 10 ppm CECNPs, and 50% NH4NO3 enhanced germination percent of 93% in comparison with 73% of T. aestivum when its seeds were not inoculated with these EPGPB fed only with 100% dose of NH4NO3 (relative control); the same positive response of T. aestivum to X. autotrophicus and B. thuringiensis improved by CECNPs at seeding stage compared to T. aestivum used as a relative control.

Humic substances and rhizobacteria enhance the yield, physiology and quality of strawberries

The strawberry fruit (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is appreciated for its aroma, color, texture and nutritional value. In conventional agriculture, the use of fertilizers damages the environment since it causes loss of soil fertility, salinity and its erosion, hence production alternatives, without harming the environment, are sought. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a biostimulant based on humic substances and rhizobacteria, on the production and quality of the strawberry cultivar ‘San Andreas’. Strawberry plants cultivar ‘San Andreas’ were treated with fulvic acids + mixture of microorganisms, humic acids + Pseudomonas fluorescens, fulvic acids + Azospirillum brasilense, fulvic acids + Pseudomonas fluorescens and the mixture AH and AF + Azospirillum brasilense with two doses (d1, d2) in total 10 treatments were applied plus the control. Humic substances were applied every 15 days and rhizobacteria every 30 days. The results showed that the AFyAzoz d1 increased over control plants, the number of leaves in 38.3%, root volume in 42.6%, the fresh weight in 130% and dry weight in 63.8%, the number of fruits 50.0% and the yield in 59.5%. The AFyPF d1 favored Photosynthesis in 127.3%; AFyPF d1 increased TSS in 25%, AFyPF d2 vitamin C in 17.1% and MHyF + Azoz d1 increased in 20% the content of Phenols. Humic substances plus rhizobacteria are an ecological alternative to be used as biostimulant in the production and quality of strawberry plants.

Conservation and Conventional Vegetable Cultivation Increase Soil Organic Matter and Nutrients in the Ethiopian Highlands

Agriculture in Africa is adversely affected by the loss of soil fertility. Conservation agriculture (CA) was introduced to curb the loss of soil fertility and water shortages and improve crop productivity. However, information on how CA practices enhance soil quality and nutrients is scarce in the sub-Saharan Africa context. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of CA and conventional tillage (CT) on soil organic matter and nutrients under irrigated and rainfed vegetable on-farm production systems. During the dry and wet monsoon phases in the northern Ethiopian Highlands, a four-year experiment with CA and CT was carried out on ten vegetable farms under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Although the increase in concentration of organic matter in CA was generally slightly greater than in CT, the difference was not significant. The average organic matter content in the top 30 cm for both treatments increased significantly by 0.5% a−1 from 3% to almost 5%. The increase was not significant for the 30–60 cm depth. The total nitrogen and available phosphorus concentrations increased proportionally to the organic matter content. Consequently, the extended growing season, applying fertilizers and livestock manure, and not removing the crop residue increased the nutrient content in both CA and CT. The increase in CA was slightly greater because the soil was not tilled, and hay was applied as a surface cover. Although CA increased soil fertility, widespread adoption will depend on socioeconomic factors that determine hay availability as a soil cover relative to other competitive uses.

Differences in Biochar Sources for Controlled Nitrogen Loss in a Hybrid Maize Agroforestry System with Melaleuca cajuputi

Biochar is used to improve soil fertility and control nitrogen loss in soil. This study aimed to evaluate the difference between biochar sources, namely Melaleuca cajuputi waste and rice husk, for controlled nitrogen loss in hybrid maize planted between Melaleuca cajuputi stands. A split-plot design with three replications was used. The main plot was composed of biochar sources (BS), i.e., without biochar application (WB), Melaleuca cajuputi biochar (MCB), and rice husk biochar (RHB). The subplot was the urea fertilizer dosage, i.e., 0, 150, 300, and 450 kg/ha. The observation parameters were nitrate reductase activity (NRA), total chlorophyll (TC), leaf photosynthesis rate (LPR), nitrogen loss (NL), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and seed yield per hectare (SY). The data were analyzed with ANCOVA and LS-means. The results showed that there was no significant difference between mixing MCB or RHB in UF for all hybrid maize parameters, whereas significant differences were observed with WB. The NL values ​​of MCB and RHB were 13.85 and 13.08 kg/ha N, i.e., NL was significantly reduced by 70.90% and 72.51%, and the percentage of SY increased by 28.60% and 37.94% compared to WB, respectively.

Mapping fallow fields using Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 archives over farming-pastoral ecotone of Northern China with Google Earth Engine

ABSTRACT The cropland in the farming-pastoral ecotone of Northern China is highly unstable owing to environmental restoration projects, poor soil fertility, poverty, and rural labor loss, and it is characterized by a large number of fallow fields. Mapping fallow fields in a farming-pastoral ecotone can help in evaluating the impact of complex cropland landscapes on the environment and food security. To map the fallow fields using the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 archives, a multi-metric dataset of vertical transmit–vertical receive + vertical transmit–horizontal receive polarization was established. Moreover, spectral bands and vegetation index datasets were established using Google Earth Engine to classify cropped and fallow fields using the Random Forest classifier. The overall accuracies and Kappa coefficients of different datasets were assessed to examine the dataset with the highest overall accuracy in the main growing season. A 10 m resolution fallow map for 2020 was then generated based on the combined Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 datasets with the highest overall accuracy and Kappa coefficients were 95.82% and 0.92, respectively. In addition, the time-series characteristics of the entropy eigenvalues generated via dual-polarization decomposition were quantitatively evaluated to clarify the contribution of the Sentinel-1 synthetic-aperture radar archive to the fallow field mapping. The eigenvalues were more sensitive to the phenological characteristics of cropped and fallow fields than the original backscatter signal of the Sentinel-1 data. Moreover, the mapping method was tested at different time intervals by gradually aggregating the results across an increasing number of months to optimize the fallow field monitoring using the minimum number of observations possible within a short period. Data aggregated over August achieved the highest one-month accuracy; it was also very close to the observations from the whole growing season. The results further emphasize the influence of Sentinel-1 archives on fallow field mapping. Overall, this study clarifies the potential applicability of Sentinel archives for monitoring and mapping managing patterns of agricultural land in a region.

Factors fostering and hindering farmers' intention to adopt organic agriculture in the Pesaro-Urbino province (Italy)

<abstract> <p>Current global problems such as the loss of soil fertility and biodiversity and the growth of the world's population for which health and food sovereignty must be guaranteed, make it clear that it will be essential to spread innovations to increase not only productivity but also the quality of production in order to meet these challenges. However, this will not be enough if profound changes are not made in all systems and more sustainable food systems are not built. Organic agriculture is widely considered a more sustainable production system. However, despite the growing attention of consumers towards organic products and the increase in the area devoted to organic farming in recent years, its growth is not homogeneous among and within countries. Therefore, in this work, we investigate the main drivers and barriers to adopting organic farming, first analysing the literature and then administering a questionnaire to a sample of 202 conventional farmers in the Pesaro-Urbino province (Italy). The survey data show that the adoption of organic farming is fostered by the farmer's attitude towards this production method's social and environmental sustainability. The main hindering factors are the farmer's personal characteristics, such as old age, lower education level, perception of bureaucracy, and the farm's inadequacy of technical structures.</p> </abstract>

Floristic Composition and Diversity in Response to Varying Degrees of Disturbance in Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests of Southern Haryana, India

The aim of the current investigation was to study the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on the vegetation structure of the three Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests of Southern Haryana i.e., Mandhana, Ghasola, and Mandhiali in the Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, and Mahendergarh districts, respectively. The data were collected from March, 2020 to March, 2021. The floristic composition was quantified by randomly placing 15 quadrats per site (45 in total). A disturbance index was developed for each site and high, medium and low disturbance areas were identified based on prevailing disturbances that were found to be maximum for Mandhiali (21), followed by Ghasola (16) and Mandhana (9). Ecological parameters such as frequency, density, abundance, basal area, IVI, and diversity indices were calculated for each siteduring the study. A total of 50 species of plants representing 44 genera and 25 families were observed consisting of 14 trees, 9 shrubs, and 27 herbs during the investigation of floristic composition. The species richness decreased with an increase in the disturbance level on the three sites viz., Mandhana (40), Ghasola (33), and Mandhiali (29) respectively. The value of Shannon Weiner diversity index (H’) and Pielou Index of evenness (E) declined with an increasing disturbance while Simpson index of dominance (Cd) increased as the disturbance levels increased across the three sites. The results offer significant evidence that anthropogenic disturbances in arid regions of South Haryana play a vital role in community structure and composition. In a forest ecosystem, anthropogenic disturbances cause habitat fragmentation along with soil erosion, loss of soil fertility and biodiversity, etc. The selected forests are in urgent need of management activities to check the intensity of disturbances by controlling anthropogenic pressure on these ecosystems and save them from further degradation. Thus, the present study intensifies the need for phytosociological studies crucial for proper management and conservation purposes.

Trace Elements Loss Characteristics in Runoff Discharge from Tobacco-Growing Red Soil in Sichuan Province of China

Trace elements are found in small concentrations in soil, yet plants require them for physiological functions. The runoff process leads to soil fertility loss by shifting soil particles and elements, and deposits them to a different position. However, there is a lack of information about the amount of trace elements that flow in tobacco-growing red soil during the natural rainy seasons due to runoff. In this study, runoff discharge was collected from two different soil mulching conditions (straw and no straw) at 15?, in Miyi county of Sichuan province, to evaluate the characteristics of trace elements in runoff discharge. The runoff discharge was filtered to separate water (runoff) from sediment. The concentrations of the elements were analyzed in samples obtained from 9 erosive rainfall events, with 3 replications for every sample. The considered trace elements were Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), and Molybdenum (Mo). In addition, the total amount of each element loss per unit area (total loss) was also calculated statistically. The results revealed different concentrations and total losses for the selected trace elements. The total loss in runoff ranged from 10.82 to 194.05 mg/ha, 0.62 to 18.91 mg/ha, and 0.32 to 2.37 mg/ha for Zn, Cu, and Mo, respectively. The total loss in sediment ranged from 54.65 to 12036.34 mg/ha, 44.74 to 5285.30 mg/ha, and 1.78 to 399.82 mg/ha for Zn, Cu, and Mo, respectively. Rainfall intensity, runoff depth, and sediment yield showed distinct positive correlations with the trace elements losses. The loss reduced with the addition of straw in the experimental area. Since each trace element showed distinct characteristics in the runoff and sediment, it is crucial to assess the loss of trace elements in runoff discharge from different agronomic practices. In turn, various sustainable practices of preventing soil fertility loss will be identified.

Продуктивность озимой пшеницы в зависимости от сроков применения биопрепаратов

This work is one of the stages of solving the problem associated with the need to radically change the existing fertilizer system, which for many years has not justified itself due to the loss of soil fertility and deterioration of its structure. In recent years, biological preparations have been used to solve this problem, which, due to the activity of microorganisms, can improve the mechanism of assimilation by the root system of hard-to-reach nutrients from the soil. As a result, the choice of a biological product and the parameters of its effective use seem relevant. The purpose of the work is to develop resource-saving agricultural techniques based on the use of fertilizers and new generation biological products to increase productivity and quality indicators of products. The objects of research were: sowing of winter wheat "Bezostaya 100", biological products: MERS – 0.5 l/ ha; Humate 7, Bioplant flora and PILES of 1.0 l/ ha. The research was carried out in the fields of the Chechen Research Institute according to generally accepted recommendations. The soil of the experimental site is leached chernozem with underlying pebbles, with a humus content of 4.2%. The reaction of the soil solution is close to neutral (pH 6.9). The content of gross nitrogen and mobile phosphorus is average, the content of exchangeable potassium is increased. Studies have revealed that almost all the biologics used in the experiment had a positive effect on the productivity and quality of grain. Pre-sowing seed treatment increased the yield by an average of 13%. Spraying of crops with bioplant Flora and MERS in the tillering phase increased grain yield by 26.1 and 28.3%, and the maximum grain yield of 6.1 t /ha, exceeding the control by 32.6%, was obtained using the preparation NAGRO. A noticeable improvement in the baking qualities of grain, including gluten, was observed with the use of biopreparations in the earing phase.

Ecological Benefits of Participatory Watershed Management Practice in the Case of Chenetaly Watershed, Guagusa Shikudad <i>Woreda</i>, Ethiopia

The rapid global population growth and increasing impacts of climate change have resulted water and food shortage. Due to the increasing pressure from anthropogenic activities the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and their interrelation are largely disrupted. As the result, the benefit we get from the ecosystem has reduced, this calls for a shift in the management of ecosystems and the use of water for food security. The objective of this study was focus Ecological Benefits of Participatory Watershed Management Practice; Case Study of Chenetaly Watershed, Guagusa Shikudad Woreda, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. The data were collected from 84 randomly selected households through household survey. In addition to household survey, focus group discussion, key informant interview and observation were used to collect additional data and used for triangulation and present detail explanations. Relevant information was also gathered from secondary sources (e.g., watershed management planning and implementation documents and annual reports) available in Guagusa Shiudad Woreda Agricultural Office. Based on the result Chenetaly watershed was severely degraded due to inappropriate cultivation, over grazing, gully formation and deforestation factors before the implementation of watershed management practices. Due to presence of high watershed degradation, there was high ecological high decline of ecological balance like soil formation and gully formation. To overcome this problem, watershed management program was introduced in Chenetaly Watershed and many physical and biological conservation measures were highly practiced to reduce soil erosion, rehabilitate gully formation and decrease loss of soil fertility. The finding of this study confirmed that the introduction of watershed management has been brought some important changes in local ecosystem. Some of the major ecological changes include decrease in soil degradation, increase soil capability and agricultural productivity, increase forest rehabilitation and firewood availability; increase the availability of grass and other livestock fodder. Based on the finding of study the following conclusion has made participatory watershed management can play significant role to improve the ecological condition of the area. Based on foundation of study I recommend that effective watershed management intervention has been undertaken in Chenetaly Watershed such best practices should extend to neighboring watersheds.

An Ecological Strategy to Reduce and Optimize Nitrogenous Fertilizer in the Growth of Solaneum lycopersicum

Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) is one of the most common agricultural crops in the world. Its production in Mexico and the world depends on the application of nitrogenous fertilizer such as NH4NO3, which, used rationally or in reduced doses according to the needs of the plant, avoids environmental pollution in addition to the emission of N2O (oxide nitrous), greenhouse gas. One option to reduce and optimize is to apply Azotobacter vinelandii and Xanthobacter autotrophicus with a crude extract of carbon nanoparticles (CENC). The objective of this research was to analyze the effect of A. vinelandii and X. autotrophicus on the growth of S. lycopersicum at 70% NH4NO3plus a CENC. The experiment was carried out under a randomized block experimental design with two controls, six treatments and six replications. The response variables were: days of emergence and percentage (%) of germination, phenology: plant height (PH) and root length (LR) and biomass: aerial and root fresh and dry weight: (AFW/RFW) / (ADW/ RDW) at the seedling and flowering stages; experimental data was analyzed by ANOVA/Tukey (P<0.01). The results showed a positive effect of A. vinelandii and X. autotrophicus at 70% NH4NO3 and CENC on the germination percentage of S. lycopersicum seeds, as well as on phenology and biomass. In the seedling and flowering stages, the numerical values showed a statistical difference compared to S. lycopersicum without A. vinelandii and X. autotrophicus, or CENC, only at 100% NH4NO3 (relative control). These results support that S. lycopersicum fertilized at 50% NH4NO3 inoculated with A. vinelandii and X. autotrophicus was optimized and improved by CENC to prevent soil fertility loss and possible N2O emission.

Landscape Degradation Processes and Implications in the Western Highlands of Cameroon

Globally landscape degradation has reignited renewed interest on the restoration of degraded landscapes across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including Cameroon. The aim of this article is to explore the processes and implications of landscape degradation in the south eastern part of the Western Highlands of Cameroon. Specifically, the paper sought to: (i) determine the triggers and pattern of landscape degradation, and (ii) analyse the socio-ecological effects of landscape degradation. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, involving a survey of 300 households, complemented by 7 focus group discussions and 22 key informant interviews to generate primary data. The data were analysed descriptively (using tables and charts) and inferentially using the binary logistic regression model. The results revealed that population growth, poor farming methods and the expansion of settlement are the three major factors contributing to landscape degradation in the area. It further shows thatprior to settlement, most of the land was used for farming – this further justifies the fact that (poor) farming methods significantly trigger landscape degradation. Additionally, landscape degradation has introduced significant effects in the western highlands to include the expensive use of soil additives, soil erosion and soil loss, the loss of soil fertility, among others. Finally, and informed by the binary logistic regression, population characteristics strongly determine the spatial pattern of landscape degradation in the Western Highlands than topographic traits. This that farmers should be encouraged to engage in organic farming to promote landscape restoration. Furthermore, the practice of slash and burn and ankara should be strongly discouraged amongst farming groups.