Effects of Crop Management Practices on Selected Soil Physicochemical Properties in Bako Tibe District, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Indecorous land use and management systems have a negative effect on soil properties, which is related to the sustainability of agricultural production. With this in view, the study was conducted to investigate the effects of crop rotation on selected soil physicochemical properties in Bako Tibe district, Western Ethiopia. The composite soil samples were collected randomly from three cropping systems with similar slopes adjacent to each other. Selected soil physicochemical parameters were analysed by using standard procedures. The dominant textural classes of the soils under all crops were sand clay loam at 0-20 cm and sandy clay at 20-40 cm soil depth. The highest bulk density (1.29 gcm-3) and lowest bulk density (1.27 gcm-3) was observed under continuous maize and Maize Faba Bean -wheat. The highest (6.68) and lowest (5.66) soil pH values were observed in Maize-Faba Bean-Wheat and Continues Maize, respectively. The highest (3.85%) and lowest (3.10%) soil organic carbon was observed under Maize Faba Bean Wheat and Continues Maize, respectively. The highest (0.42%) and lowest (0.28%) mean of total nitrogen contents were observed under Maize- Faba Bean -Wheat and continuous maize, respectively. The mean values of cation exchange capacity range from 33.38 to 30.97meq100g-1 under the cropping system. The soil physicochemical parameters decreased from Maize- Faba Bean -Wheat to Maize- Faba Bean and Continues Maize. Therefore, selected soil physicochemical properties under continuous maize should be needed through educating and training farmers on integrated land management for sustainable crop production.