The influence of soil erosion on fertility losses and on potato yield

Summary

The amounts of organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium removed in the eroded material from a Collington sandy loam are reported.

The eroded material averaged 4 times the organic matter, 1.5 times the phosphorus, 1.4 times the potassium, and 2.3 times the calcium contained in the soil from which the erosion occurred.

Comparisons are made between potato yields from areas that have undergone different degrees of erosion as indicated by the remaining depth of surface soil.

On areas where the surface soil varied from 3 to 6 inches in depth, the yield of potatoes was 13 per cent higher than from areas having less than 3 inches of surface soil. A comparison of yields from areas having 3–6 inches and more than 6 inches of surface soil remaining showed a 9 per cent increase in yield on the greater depth. Records from one year’s data show a 36 per cent increase in yield for areas having more than 6 inches of surface soil as compared with areas having less than 3 inches of the surface layer remaining in place.