Abstract
Effects of three agroforestry systems were evaluated on changes in soil chemical properties over a period of 12 consecutive crops of maize-cowpea rotation grown on a tropical Alfisol in southwestern Nigeria. Measurements of soil chemical properties for 0–5 cm depths were made over a period of 5 consecutive years from 1982 through 1986. Six treatments studied were plow-till, no-till, Leucaena hedgerows established on the contour at 4-m and 2-m spacing and Gliricidia hedgerows established at 4-m and 2-m spacings.
Soil organic matter, total N, pH and exchangeable bases declined significantly in all treatments. In contrast, total acidity and exchangeable Al+3 increased. Relative magnitude of changes in these properties, however, were different among treatments. Depletion of soil fertility was the severe in plow-till and the least severe in Leucaena-based systems. There was an evidence of increase in soil pH and exchangeable bases in the soil during third and fourth years of hedgerow establishment.
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Lal, R. Agroforestry systems and soil surface management of a tropical alfisol:. Agroforest Syst 8, 113–132 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00123116
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00123116