Erosion Losses from Banana-Pineapple Intercropping and Soil Loss Prediction Using Rusle
Soil erosion in agricultural upland conditions was investigated in Puchong Farm, UPM from an intercropping system of banana-pineapple. To study the effectiveness of this intercropping system four erosion plots of same length but different width were prepared on a 9% slope. One plot was planted wi...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
1998
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10411/1/FP_1998_1_A.pdf |
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| Summary: | Soil erosion in agricultural upland conditions was investigated in Puchong
Farm, UPM from an intercropping system of banana-pineapple. To study the
effectiveness of this intercropping system four erosion plots of same length but
different width were prepared on a 9% slope. One plot was planted with banana crop,
second with pineapple and third with intercrop of banana and pineapple, whereas one
plot was kept as bare with regular cultivation every fortnight. All the plots were kept
in weed-free condition. Each plot was equipped with sediment tanks, for the
collection of soil loss and runoff from the plots. Measurement of soil loss and runoff
was made after every erosive rainfall. The sediments and runoff water were analyzed
for major nutrients after every growth period. The data indicate that the site soil is
very susceptible to erosion. The highest soil loss during the nine months period was
obtained from bare plot (105.5 mt/ha) followed by banana plot (40.6 mt/ha) whereas
total soil loss from intercrop and pineapple plots were 26.5 and 25.0 mt/ha
respectively. Total runoff from bare, banana, intercrop and pineapple were 11.1 x l06, 9.3xl06, 6.3xl06 and 7.2xl06 L/ha respectively. These came as a result of total
rainfall of 2020 mm which was about 25% higher than the average of 10 previous
years.
Comparison of soil loss and runoff in different growth periods showed that, in
the early growth period when the canopy cover was around 1 5%, soil loss and runoff
were not significantly different among the plots. But after the establishment of crop
canopy and root network, soil loss and run off were reduced significantly as
compared to bare plot. The relationship of EI30 index with soil loss and runoff and the
relationship of soil loss with runoff were significant at 1 % probability level for all the
plots. The analysis of fertility status showed that at the top of the slope there was
decrease in the fertility except for K in intercrop and C, N, P and K for pineapple as
compared to the center and bottom of the slope for every plot. |
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