Improving sustainability through the retention of vegetative matter

Ghulam Mohd Hashim, . (1997) Improving sustainability through the retention of vegetative matter. [Proceedings Paper]

Sustainability has both socio-economic and bio-physical dimensions. In agricultural land management one of the most important socio-economic aspects is crop performance whilst the major bio-physical aspect is natural resource conservation. In a long-term study of soil erosion involving cocoa-banana intercropping on sloping land detailed data in crop performance in combination with detaied information on soil erosion and soil fertility provided on opportunity to assess the relative levels of sustainability achieved by three land management systems. The three systems are a clean weeding in cocoa-banana intercrop T1 b circle weeding in a cocoa-banana intercrop T2 and c clean weeding in monocrop cocoa T3. Relatively high soil loses were recorded in T1 was 430.7 t/ha compared to only 89.7 t/ha in T2. Organic matter nitrogen and potassium levels in T2 increased with time whilst those in T1 and T3 decreased slightly. This improvement in soil fertility was a result of low topsoil erosion and other factors. Leaf litter which was produced in abundance when the trees reached maturity were largely retained by the surface vegetation in T2. In T1 and T3 however substantial amounts of litter were mobilished by overland flow. Initially cocoa growth in T2 was fastest followed by T3 and then T2. However as soil conditions improved the growth rate in T2 increased surpassing that of T3 and after several years that of T1 as well. as a result the average rate of girth increment in T2 over 5 water years 1991-92 to 1995-96 was equal to that T1. But after 10 months production in T2 surpassed that in T1. At the end of November 1994 the total production of fresh bunches were 3.1 and 6.6 t/ha for T1 and T2 respectively. Using several surrogates for crop performance and for resource conservation a simple scoring system was devised to assess relative levels of sustainability. T2 was found to be a relatively more sustainable land management practice.

Full text available from:

Abstract

Sustainability has both socio-economic and bio-physical dimensions. In agricultural land management one of the most important socio-economic aspects is crop performance whilst the major bio-physical aspect is natural resource conservation. In a long-term study of soil erosion involving cocoa-banana intercropping on sloping land detailed data in crop performance in combination with detaied information on soil erosion and soil fertility provided on opportunity to assess the relative levels of sustainability achieved by three land management systems. The three systems are a clean weeding in cocoa-banana intercrop T1 b circle weeding in a cocoa-banana intercrop T2 and c clean weeding in monocrop cocoa T3. Relatively high soil loses were recorded in T1 was 430.7 t/ha compared to only 89.7 t/ha in T2. Organic matter nitrogen and potassium levels in T2 increased with time whilst those in T1 and T3 decreased slightly. This improvement in soil fertility was a result of low topsoil erosion and other factors. Leaf litter which was produced in abundance when the trees reached maturity were largely retained by the surface vegetation in T2. In T1 and T3 however substantial amounts of litter were mobilished by overland flow. Initially cocoa growth in T2 was fastest followed by T3 and then T2. However as soil conditions improved the growth rate in T2 increased surpassing that of T3 and after several years that of T1 as well. as a result the average rate of girth increment in T2 over 5 water years 1991-92 to 1995-96 was equal to that T1. But after 10 months production in T2 surpassed that in T1. At the end of November 1994 the total production of fresh bunches were 3.1 and 6.6 t/ha for T1 and T2 respectively. Using several surrogates for crop performance and for resource conservation a simple scoring system was devised to assess relative levels of sustainability. T2 was found to be a relatively more sustainable land management practice.

[error in script]

Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
AGROVOC Term:	Soil sciences
AGROVOC Term:	Soil organic matter
AGROVOC Term:	Agricultural chemicals
AGROVOC Term:	Soil chemicophysical properties
AGROVOC Term:	Soil biology
AGROVOC Term:	Soil movement
AGROVOC Term:	Geology
AGROVOC Term:	Soil degradation
AGROVOC Term:	Soil erosion
AGROVOC Term:	Runoff
Geographical Term:	MALAYSIA
Depositing User:	Ms. Norfaezah Khomsan
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:27
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/16173

Actions (login required)

View Item