Banner
Current IssueEditorial BoardOnline First ArticlesArchive
Current IssueEditorial BoardOnline First ArticlesArchive

Research Article

volume 39 issue 3 (september 2019) : 215-219,   Doi: 10.18805/ag.D-149

Variations in Soil Chemical Properties, Bacteria and Fungi  Populations Along Slope Positions and Profile Depths in Terraced and Non-terraced Lands of Rwanda highlands

A
A. Fashaho
G
G.M. Ndegwa
J
J.J. Lelei
A
A.O. Musandu
S
S.M. Mwonga
1<div style="text-align: justify;">Department of Crop Science, University of Rwanda, P.O. Box 210, Musanze, Rwanda</div>
Cite article:- Fashaho A., Ndegwa G.M., Lelei J.J., Musandu A.O., Mwonga S.M. (2019). Variations in Soil Chemical Properties, Bacteria and Fungi Populations Along Slope Positions and Profile Depths in Terraced and Non-terraced Lands of Rwanda highlands. Agricultural Science Digest. 39(3): 215-219. doi: 10.18805/ag.D-149.

ABSTRACT

The objective of the current study was to evaluate effect of terracing on soil chemical and biological properties in the Rwanda highlands. The study was done in March 2017. Composite soil samples were collected from the top, middle and bottom slopes of four-year-terraced and non-terraced lands, in three profile depths, in medium and high altitudes. Results showed that, levels of organic carbon (1.3, 1.04%) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in non-terraced than terraced land, and populations of bacteria (3.59, 2.61 CFU*106g-1) and fungi (2.51, 1.57 CFU*104g-1) were significantly higher in terraced than non-terraced land, in the medium altitude, with no significant differences observed in the high altitude. Soil pH, total N, available P, CEC, exchangeable K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ levels in terraced and non-terraced lands were not significantly different in both altitudes. Thus, soil characteristics and fertility of the study areas showed slight changes after four years of terracing.

REFERENCES

  1. Adugna, A., & Abegaz, A. (2015). Effects of soil depth on the dynamics of selected soil properties among the highlands resources of Northeast Wollega , Ethiopia : are these sign of degradation ? Soil Earth, 1: 2011–2035. DOI: 10.5194/sed-7-2011-2015.
  2. Amare, T., Terefe, A., Selassie, Y. G., Yitaferu, B., Wolfgramm, B., & Hurni, H. (2013). Soil Properties and Crop Yields along the Terraces and Toposequece of Anjeni Watershed, Central Highlands of Ethiopia. Journal of Agricultural Science, 5(2): 134–144. DOI: 10.5539/jas.v5n2p134.
  3. Bahattarai, A., Bhattarai, B., & Pandey, S. (2015). Variation of Soil Microbial Population in Different Soil Horizons. Journal of Microbiology & Experimentation, 2(2): 2–5. DOI: 10.15406/jmen.2015.02.00044.
  4. Dorren, L., & Rey, F. (2004). A review of the effect of terracing on erosion. In Briefing Papers of the second SCAPE workshop in Cinque Terre (IT), 13-15 April 2004 (pp. 97–108).
  5. Driessen, P., Deckers, J., & Spaargaren, O. (2001). Lecture Notes on the major Soils of the world. In World Soil Resources Reports (pp. 94–334). FAO, Rome.
  6. Eze, P. N. (2015). Spatial variability and classification of soils on a Legon hill catena in the Accra Plains , Ghana. Journal of Soil Science and Environmental Management, 6(8): 204–214. DOI: 10.5897/JSSEM15.0495.
  7. García-Orenes, F., Morugán-Coronado, A., Zornoza, R., & Scow, K. (2013). Changes in Soil Microbial Community Structure Influenced by Agricultural Management Practices in a Mediterranean Agro-Ecosystem. PLoS ONE, 8(11): 1–9. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080522.
  8. Gomez, K. A., & Gomez, A. A. (1984). Statistical Procedures for Agricultural Research (Vol. 6). John Willey & Sons, Inc.
  9. Hazelton, P., & Murphy, B. (2007). Interpreting Soil Test Results: What do all the Numbers mean? (N. D. of N. Resources, Ed.). CSIRO Publishing.
  10. Johnson, T. R., & Case, C. L. (2007). Laboratory Experiments in Microbiology (8th ed.). Pearson.
  11. Landon, J. R. (1991). Booker Tropical Soil Manual. A handbook for soil survey and agricultural land evaluation in the tropics and subtropics. Longman Scientific and Technical Publishers.
  12. Lawal, B. A., Tsado, P. A., Eze, P. C., Idefoh, K. K., Zaki, A. A., & Kolawole, S. (2014). Effect of Slope Positions on some Properties of Soils under a Tectona grandis Plantation in Minna , Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. International Journal of Research in Agriculture and Forestry, 1(2): 37–43.
  13. Magdoff, F., & ES, H. V. (2009). Building SoilS Better Crops, Sustainable Soil Management. (F. Magdoff & H. V. ES, Eds.) (3rd ed.). Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, USA.
  14. Okalebo, J. , Gathua, K. W., & Woomer, P. L.  (2002). Laboratory methods of soil and plant analysis: A working manual (2nd ed.). Kenya.
  15. Pal, S. K. (2013). Soil sampling and methods of analysis. Pitam Pura, New Delhi - 110 088: New India Publishing Agency (NIPA).
  16. Paul, E. A. (2007). Soil Microbiology, Ecology, and Biochemistry. (E. A. Paul, Ed.) (3rd ed.). Oxford: Elsevier.
  17. Ramos, M. C., Cots-Folch, R., & Martínez-Casasnovas, J. A. (2007). Effects of land terracing on soil properties in the Priorat region in Northeastern Spain: A multivariate analysis. Geoderma, 142(3–4): 251–261. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.08.005.
  18. SAS. (2008). SAS/STAT® 9.2 User’s Guide. SAS Institute Inc.,. Cary, NC., USA.
  19. Swer, H., Dkhar, M. S., & Kayang, H. (2011). Fungal population and diversity in organically amended agricultural soils of Meghalaya, India. Journal of Organic Systems, 6(2): 3–12.
  20. Verdoodt, A., & Van Ranst, E. (2003). Land Evaluation for Agricultural Production in the Tropics. A Large - Scale Land Suitability Classification for Rwanda. (G. U. Laboratory of Soil Science, Ed.). Ghent, Belgium.
  21. Wallenius, K. (2011). Microbiological characterisation of soils: Evaluation of some critical steps in data collection and experimental design. Helsinki.
  22. Widomski, M. K. (2011). Terracing as a Measure of Soil Erosion Control and Its Effect on Improvement of Infiltration in Eroded Environment. (Danilo Godone, Ed.), Soil Erosion Issues in Agriculture. InTech. DOI: 10.5772/24683.
Published In
Agricultural Science Digest
Article Metrics
Metrics Icon
0
Views
0
Citations
Reviewed By
Share Article
Download Article
In this Article
    Contact us
    Follow us

    Research Article

    volume 39 issue 3 (september 2019) : 215-219,   Doi: 10.18805/ag.D-149

    Variations in Soil Chemical Properties, Bacteria and Fungi  Populations Along Slope Positions and Profile Depths in Terraced and Non-terraced Lands of Rwanda highlands

    A
    A. Fashaho
    G
    G.M. Ndegwa
    J
    J.J. Lelei
    A
    A.O. Musandu
    S
    S.M. Mwonga
    1<div style="text-align: justify;">Department of Crop Science, University of Rwanda, P.O. Box 210, Musanze, Rwanda</div>
    Cite article:- Fashaho A., Ndegwa G.M., Lelei J.J., Musandu A.O., Mwonga S.M. (2019). Variations in Soil Chemical Properties, Bacteria and Fungi Populations Along Slope Positions and Profile Depths in Terraced and Non-terraced Lands of Rwanda highlands. Agricultural Science Digest. 39(3): 215-219. doi: 10.18805/ag.D-149.

    ABSTRACT

    The objective of the current study was to evaluate effect of terracing on soil chemical and biological properties in the Rwanda highlands. The study was done in March 2017. Composite soil samples were collected from the top, middle and bottom slopes of four-year-terraced and non-terraced lands, in three profile depths, in medium and high altitudes. Results showed that, levels of organic carbon (1.3, 1.04%) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in non-terraced than terraced land, and populations of bacteria (3.59, 2.61 CFU*106g-1) and fungi (2.51, 1.57 CFU*104g-1) were significantly higher in terraced than non-terraced land, in the medium altitude, with no significant differences observed in the high altitude. Soil pH, total N, available P, CEC, exchangeable K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ levels in terraced and non-terraced lands were not significantly different in both altitudes. Thus, soil characteristics and fertility of the study areas showed slight changes after four years of terracing.

    REFERENCES

    1. Adugna, A., & Abegaz, A. (2015). Effects of soil depth on the dynamics of selected soil properties among the highlands resources of Northeast Wollega , Ethiopia : are these sign of degradation ? Soil Earth, 1: 2011–2035. DOI: 10.5194/sed-7-2011-2015.
    2. Amare, T., Terefe, A., Selassie, Y. G., Yitaferu, B., Wolfgramm, B., & Hurni, H. (2013). Soil Properties and Crop Yields along the Terraces and Toposequece of Anjeni Watershed, Central Highlands of Ethiopia. Journal of Agricultural Science, 5(2): 134–144. DOI: 10.5539/jas.v5n2p134.
    3. Bahattarai, A., Bhattarai, B., & Pandey, S. (2015). Variation of Soil Microbial Population in Different Soil Horizons. Journal of Microbiology & Experimentation, 2(2): 2–5. DOI: 10.15406/jmen.2015.02.00044.
    4. Dorren, L., & Rey, F. (2004). A review of the effect of terracing on erosion. In Briefing Papers of the second SCAPE workshop in Cinque Terre (IT), 13-15 April 2004 (pp. 97–108).
    5. Driessen, P., Deckers, J., & Spaargaren, O. (2001). Lecture Notes on the major Soils of the world. In World Soil Resources Reports (pp. 94–334). FAO, Rome.
    6. Eze, P. N. (2015). Spatial variability and classification of soils on a Legon hill catena in the Accra Plains , Ghana. Journal of Soil Science and Environmental Management, 6(8): 204–214. DOI: 10.5897/JSSEM15.0495.
    7. García-Orenes, F., Morugán-Coronado, A., Zornoza, R., & Scow, K. (2013). Changes in Soil Microbial Community Structure Influenced by Agricultural Management Practices in a Mediterranean Agro-Ecosystem. PLoS ONE, 8(11): 1–9. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080522.
    8. Gomez, K. A., & Gomez, A. A. (1984). Statistical Procedures for Agricultural Research (Vol. 6). John Willey & Sons, Inc.
    9. Hazelton, P., & Murphy, B. (2007). Interpreting Soil Test Results: What do all the Numbers mean? (N. D. of N. Resources, Ed.). CSIRO Publishing.
    10. Johnson, T. R., & Case, C. L. (2007). Laboratory Experiments in Microbiology (8th ed.). Pearson.
    11. Landon, J. R. (1991). Booker Tropical Soil Manual. A handbook for soil survey and agricultural land evaluation in the tropics and subtropics. Longman Scientific and Technical Publishers.
    12. Lawal, B. A., Tsado, P. A., Eze, P. C., Idefoh, K. K., Zaki, A. A., & Kolawole, S. (2014). Effect of Slope Positions on some Properties of Soils under a Tectona grandis Plantation in Minna , Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. International Journal of Research in Agriculture and Forestry, 1(2): 37–43.
    13. Magdoff, F., & ES, H. V. (2009). Building SoilS Better Crops, Sustainable Soil Management. (F. Magdoff & H. V. ES, Eds.) (3rd ed.). Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, USA.
    14. Okalebo, J. , Gathua, K. W., & Woomer, P. L.  (2002). Laboratory methods of soil and plant analysis: A working manual (2nd ed.). Kenya.
    15. Pal, S. K. (2013). Soil sampling and methods of analysis. Pitam Pura, New Delhi - 110 088: New India Publishing Agency (NIPA).
    16. Paul, E. A. (2007). Soil Microbiology, Ecology, and Biochemistry. (E. A. Paul, Ed.) (3rd ed.). Oxford: Elsevier.
    17. Ramos, M. C., Cots-Folch, R., & Martínez-Casasnovas, J. A. (2007). Effects of land terracing on soil properties in the Priorat region in Northeastern Spain: A multivariate analysis. Geoderma, 142(3–4): 251–261. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2007.08.005.
    18. SAS. (2008). SAS/STAT® 9.2 User’s Guide. SAS Institute Inc.,. Cary, NC., USA.
    19. Swer, H., Dkhar, M. S., & Kayang, H. (2011). Fungal population and diversity in organically amended agricultural soils of Meghalaya, India. Journal of Organic Systems, 6(2): 3–12.
    20. Verdoodt, A., & Van Ranst, E. (2003). Land Evaluation for Agricultural Production in the Tropics. A Large - Scale Land Suitability Classification for Rwanda. (G. U. Laboratory of Soil Science, Ed.). Ghent, Belgium.
    21. Wallenius, K. (2011). Microbiological characterisation of soils: Evaluation of some critical steps in data collection and experimental design. Helsinki.
    22. Widomski, M. K. (2011). Terracing as a Measure of Soil Erosion Control and Its Effect on Improvement of Infiltration in Eroded Environment. (Danilo Godone, Ed.), Soil Erosion Issues in Agriculture. InTech. DOI: 10.5772/24683.
    In this Article
      Contact us
      Follow us
      Published In
      Agricultural Science Digest

      Editorial Board

      View all (0)