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Soil fertility management in indigenous homegardens of Central Amazonia, Brazil

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Abstract

Homegardens in an upland forest area in the Kwata-Laranjal indigenous territory (state of Amazonas, central Amazonia) were studied to assess how their management contributes to soil fertility. The characteristics of the homegarden soil were compared with those of adjacent primary and secondary forest, at soil depth of 0–10, 10–20 and 20–30 cm. Significant homegarden effects were observed, which raised pH (H2O) (4.3–4.4 at 0–20 cm) and phosphorus content (5–14 mg kg−1 at 0–30 cm); and decreased the content of calcium (0.1 cmolc kg−1 at 20–30 cm). At the same time, levels observed in homegardens for aluminum (3.0–3.2 cmolc kg−1), organic carbon (11–13 g kg−1), calcium (0.24–0.38 cmolc kg−1 at 0–20 cm), magnesium (0.08–0.20 cmolc kg−1) and potassium (0.06–0.10 cmolc kg−1) were not significantly different from those of primary and secondary forest. These results indicate that the management of these homegardens contributes to maintain or increase soil fertility. However, feasible management options to increase the content of these soils in carbon, calcium, magnesium and potassium are highly desirable.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the indigenous farmers from Kwatá-Laranjal Indigenous Territory who contributed to this research, especially the indigenous agricultural technicians Josevam Batista and Evaristo Reis. We also thank Emilio Manabu Higashikawa, INCT-PPBio/CENBAM - INPA, for his help with the statistical analysis. As the research involved access to traditional knowledge, permits were obtained from the National Council of Ethics in Research (Case 02/2011), the Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (Official Gazette No. 189, Section 3 of September 28, 2012), as well as an authorization to enter an Indigenous Territory, granted by the National Indian Foundation (n° 65/AEP/11 April 25, 2011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Mateus Vieira da Cunha Salim

  2. United Nations Development Program, Zilda Arns Building, Northern Embassy Sector, Block 802, Set C, Lot 17, Brasília, DF, 70.800-400, Brazil

    Robert Pritchard Miller

  3. Coordenação de Tecnologia e Inovação, INPA-Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Av. André Araújo n°. 2936, Postbox 2223, Manaus, AM, 69.067-375, Brazil

    César A. Ticona-Benavente, Johannes van Leeuwen & Sonia Sena Alfaia

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  1. Mateus Vieira da Cunha Salim
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  2. Robert Pritchard Miller
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  3. César A. Ticona-Benavente
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  4. Johannes van Leeuwen
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  5. Sonia Sena Alfaia
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Correspondence to Sonia Sena Alfaia.

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Salim, M.V., Miller, R.P., Ticona-Benavente, C.A. et al. Soil fertility management in indigenous homegardens of Central Amazonia, Brazil. Agroforest Syst 92, 463–472 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-017-0105-6

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