Short-term effects of conservation agriculture on Vertisols under tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) in the northern Ethiopian highlands

Soil and Tillage Research

Volumn 106, Issue 2, 2010, Pages 294-302

  Oicha, Tigist ^a,b   Cornelis, Wim M ^c   Verplancke, Hubert ^c   Nyssen, Jan ^c   Govaerts, Bram ^d   Behailu, Mintesinot ^e   Haile, Mitiku ^b   Deckers, Jozef ^f  

^a UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND LIFE SCIENCES   (Austria)

^b MEKELLE UNIVERSITY   (Ethiopia)

^c GHENT UNIVERSITY   (Belgium)

^d INTERNATIONAL MAIZE AND WHEAT IMPROVEMENT CENTER CIMMYT   (Mexico)

^e Criminal Justice and Applied Social and Political Sciences Department   (United States)

^f UNIVERSITY OF LEUVEN   (Belgium)

Author keywords

Aggregate stability; Conservation agriculture; Permanent bed; Runoff; Soil loss; Tef

Indexed keywords

AGGREGATE STABILITY; CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE; CROP PRODUCTION; CROP YIELD; DRY MATTERS; ERAGROSTIS TEF; ETHIOPIA; LAND MANAGEMENTS; MACRO-POROSITY; PERMANENT BED; PLANT HEIGHT; REDUCED SOILS; RUNOFF VOLUMES; SHORT-TERM EFFECTS; SOIL EROSION; SOIL LOSS; SOIL ORGANIC MATTERS; SOIL PHYSICAL QUALITY; SOIL QUALITY; VERTISOLS; WATER UPTAKE; YIELD COMPONENTS;

AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF; CROPS; CULTIVATION; HERBICIDES; LAND USE; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; SOIL MECHANICS; SOILS;

SOIL CONSERVATION;

AGGREGATE STABILITY; ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE; CROP YIELD; GRASS; HERBICIDE; LAND RECLAMATION; PHYTOMASS; RUNOFF; SOIL EROSION; SOIL ORGANIC MATTER; SOIL QUALITY; UPLAND REGION; VERTISOL; WATER UPTAKE; WEED;

ETHIOPIA; ETHIOPIAN HIGHLANDS;

ERAGROSTIS; ERAGROSTIS TEF;

EID: 76449084152     PISSN: 01671987     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.still.2009.12.004     Document Type: Article

References (78)

1. Aase K., and Siddoway F. Evaporative flux from wheat and fallow in a semi-arid climate. Soil Sci. Am. J. 46 (1982) 619-626
2. Abebe, D., 2001. Tef genetic resources in Ethiopia. In: Hailu, T., Getachew, B., Mark, S. (Eds.), Narrowing the Rift. Tef Research and Development: Proceedings of the International Workshop on Tef Genetics and Improvement, DebreZeit, Ethiopia, 16-19 October 2000, pp. 3-7.
3. Ameha, S., 2002. Influence of water availability on the growth of Eragrotis tef. M.Sc. Thesis. University of Ghent, Belgium.
4. Astatke A., Jabbar M., and Tanner D. Participatory conservation tillage research: an experience with minimum tillage on an Ethiopian highland Vertisol. Agric. Ecosys. Environ. 95 (2002) 401-415
5. Balesh T., Aune J.B., Johansen F.H., and Vanlauwe B. The prospects of reduced tillage in tef (Eragrostis tef Zucca.) in Gare Arera, West Shawa Zone of Oromiya, Ethiopia. Soil Tillage Res. 99 (2008) 58-65
6. Bosch B., Potter T., Truman C., Bednarz C., and Strickland T. Surface runoff and lateral subsurface flow as a response to conservation tillage and soil water conditions. Trans. ASAE 48 (2005) 2137-2144
7. Bull A. Agro-ecological assessment of Ethiopia Vertisols. In: Jutzi S.C., Haque I., McIntire J., and Stares J.E.S. (Eds). Management of Vertisols in sub-Saharan Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (1988) 89-105
8. Christensen B.T. Barley straw decomposition under field conditions: effect of placement and initial nitrogen content on weight loss and nitrogen dynamics. Soil Biol. Biochem. 18 (1986) 523-529
9. Cockroft B., and Olsson K.A. Case study of soil quality in southeastern Australia: management of structure for roots in duplex soils. In: Gregorich E.G., and Carter M.R. (Eds). Soil Quality for Crop Production and Ecosystem Health. Developments in Soil Science (1997), Elsevier, New York, NY 339-350
10. Coppens F., Merckx R., and Recous S. Impact of crop residue location on carbon and nitrogen distribution in soil and water-stable aggregates. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 57 (2006) 570-582
11. Cornelis W., Khlosi M., Hartmann R., Van Meirvenne M., and De Vos B. Comparison of unimodal analytical expressions for the soil-water retention curve. Soil Sci. Am. J. 69 (2005) 1902-1911
12. Cornelis W., Corluy J., Medina H., Hartmann R., Van Meirvenne M., and Ruiz M. A simplified parametric model to describe the magnitude and geometry of soil shrinkage. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 57 (2006) 258-268
13. Cornelis W., Corluy J., Medina H., Diaz J., Hartmann R., Van Meirvenne M., and Ruiz M. Measuring and modelling the soil shrinkage characteristic curve. Geoderma 137 (2006) 179-191
14. Crovetto C. No-till development in Chequen Farm and its influence on some physical, chemical and biological parameters. Soil Water Conserv. 53 (1998) 194-199
15. CSA, Central Statistics Authority, 2005. Agricultural Sample Survey 2004/2005. Report on Area and Production for Major Crops, vol. 1. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
16. D'Haene K., Vermang J., Cornelis W., Leroy B., Schiettecatte W., De Neve D., Gabriels D., and Hofman G. Reduced tillage effects on physical properties of silt loam soils growing root crops. Soil Tillage Res. 99 (2008) 279-290
17. De Leenheer L. Werkwijzen van de analysen aan het Centrum voor Grondonderzoek (1959), Rijkslandbouwhogeschool Gent, Ghent
18. De Leenheer, L., De Boodt, M., 1959. Determination of aggregate stability by the change in mean weight diameter. Mededelingen van landbouwhogeschool en de opzoekingstations van de staat te Gent 24, 290-300.
19. Deckers J., Spaargaren O., and Nachtergaele F. Vertisol: genesis, properties and soilscape management. In: Syers K., Penning de Vries F., and Nymundeza P. (Eds). The Sustainable Management of Vertisols (2001), CABI Publishing, New York 3-20
20. Deckers J., Teshome Y., Negeri A., and Seyfu K. Teff. In: Raemaekers R. (Ed). Crop Production in Tropical Africa (2001), Directorate General for International Cooperation, Brussels 96-101
21. Dexter R. Soil physical quality. Part I. Theory, effects of soil texture, density, and organic matter, and effects on root growth. Geoderma 120 (2004) 201-214
22. Drewry J., and Paton R. Soil physical quality under cattle grazing of a winter-fed brassica crop. Aust. J. Soil Res. 43 (2005) 525-531
23. Engel F.L., Bertol S.R., Ritter A., Paz Gonzalez J., Paz-Ferreiro E., and Vidal V. Soil erosion under simulated rainfall in relation to phenological stages of soybeans and tillage methods in Lages, SC, Brazil. Soil Tillage Res. 103 (2009) 216-221
24. Erkossa T., Stahr K., and Gaiser T. Effect of different methods of land preparation on runoff, soil and nutrient losses from a Vertisol in the Ethiopian highlands. Soil Use Manage. 21 (2005) 253-259
25. Erkossa T., Stahr K., and Gaiser T. Soil tillage and crop productivity on a Vertisol in Ethiopian highlands. Soil Tillage Res. 85 (2006) 200-211
26. Eyasu, Y., 2005. Development and management of irrigated lands in Tigray, Ethiopia. Ph.D. Thesis. Department of Water Engineering, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands.
27. FAO, 2002. Crops and drops. Making the best use of water for agriculture. Rome, Italy. http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y3918E/Y3918E00.HTM (Accessed on July 7, 2007).
28. Fassil, K., 2002. Analysis of yield gaps and constraints for rainfed wheat production on Vertisols in the Tigray highlands, Ethiopia: case study in Adigudom. Ph.D. Thesis. Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium.
29. Fufa, H., Tesfa, B., Hailu, T., Kibebew, A., Tiruneh, K., Aberra, D., Seyfu, K., 2001. Agronomy research in Tef. In: Hailu, T., Getachew, B., Mark, S. (Eds.), Narrowing the Rift. Tef Research and Development. Proceedings of the International Workshop on Tef Genetics and Improvement, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, 16-19 October 2000, pp. 167-176.
30. Gebreegziabher, T., 2006. Effect of conservation agriculture with permanent bed and semi-permanent beds on soil water dynamics and soil loss in Gum-selasa, Southern Tigray, Ethiopia. M.Sc. Thesis. Faculty of Dryland Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mekelle University, Ethiopia.
31. Gebreegziabher T., Nyssen J., Govaerts B., Fekadu G., Mintesinot B., Mitiku H., and Deckers J. Contour furrows for in situ soil and water conservation, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Soil Tillage Res. 103 (2009) 257-264
32. Gomez J.A., Teodorico A.S., Giraldez V., and Fereres E. Soil management effects on runoff, erosion and soil properties in an olive grove of Southern Spain. Soil Tillage Res. 102 (2009) 5-13
33. Govaerts B., Sayre K., Lichter K., Dendooven L., and Deckers J. Influence of permanent raised bed planting and residue management on physical and chemical soil quality in rain fed maize/wheat systems. J. Soil Plant 291 (2007) 39-54
34. Greenland D.J. Soil damage by intensive arable cultivation: temporary or permanent?. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 281 (1977) 193-208
35. Habtegebrial K., Singh B.R., and Haile M. Impact of tillage and nitrogen fertilization on yield, nitrogen efficiency of tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) and soil properties. Soil Tillage Res. 94 (2007) 55-63
36. Haregeweyn N., Poesen J., Verstraeten G., De Vente J., Govers G., Deckers S., and Moeyersons J. Specific sediment yield in Tigray-Northern Ethiopia: assessment and semi-quantitative modelling. Geomorphology 69 (2005) 315-331
37. 16. Am. J. Bot. 90 (2003) 116-122
38. Jabbar M.A., Saleem M.A.M., and Li-Pun H. Towards transdisciplinarity in technology and resource management research: a project in Ethiopia. Outlook Agr. 30 (2001) 257-260
39. Jin K., Cornelis W., Gabriels D., Schiettecatte W., De Neve S., Lu J.J., Buysse T., Wu H.J., Cai D.X., Jin J.Y., and Hartmann R. Soil management effects on runoff and soil loss from field rainfall simulation. Catena 765 (2008) 191-199
40. Jin K., Cornelis W.M., Schiettecatte W., Lu J.J., Cai D.X., Jin J.Y., De Neve S., Hartmann R., and Gabriels D. Effects of different soil management practices on total P and Olsen-P sediment loss: a field rainfall simulation study. Catena 78 (2009) 72-80
41. Jury W.A., and Horton R. Soil Physics. 6th ed. (2004), John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ
42. Kertesz, A., 2004. Conventional and conservation tillage from pedological and ecological aspects. The SOWAP Project. In: Proceedings of the 4th International Congress of the European Society for Soil Conservation "Soil Conservation in a Changing Europe", Budapest, Hungary, 25-29 May 2004, pp. 33-135.
43. Kruger H., Berhanu F., Yohannes G., and Kefeni K. Creating an inventory of indigenous soil and water conservation measures in Ethiopia. In: Reij C., Scoones I., and Toulmin C. (Eds). Sustaining the Soil Indigenous Soil and Water Conservation in Africa (1996), International Institute for Environment and Development, Earthscan, London
44. Lal R., and Shukla M. Principles of Soil Physics (2004), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York p. 716
45. Limon-Ortega A., Govaerts B., Deckers J., and Sayre K. Soil aggregate and microbial biomass in a permanent bed wheat-maize planting system after 12 years. Field Crop Res. 97 (2006) 302-309
46. Lindstrom M., Schumacher E., Cogo P., and Blecha L. Tillage effects on water runoff and soil erosion after sod. J. Soil Water Conserv. 53 (1997) 59-63
47. Mathcad, 2000. MathSoft, Inc., 101 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, USA.
48. McGarry D., Bridge B., and Radford B. Contrasting soil physical properties after zero and traditional tillage of an alluvial soil in the semi-arid subtropics. Soil Tillage Res. 53 (2000) 105-115
49. Melesse T., Rockstrom J., Savenije H.H.G., Hoogmoed W.B., and Dawit A. Determinants of tillage frequency among smallholder farmers in two semi-arid areas in Ethiopia. Phys. Chem. Earth 33 (2008) 183-191
50. Mikha M., and Rice C. Tillage and manure effects on soil and aggregate-associated carbon and nitrogen. Soil Sci. Am. J. 68 (2004) 809-816
51. Moeyersons J., Nyssen J., Poesen J., Deckers S., and Mitiku H. On the origin of rock fragment mulches on Vertisols: a case study from the Ethiopian highlands. Geomorphology 76 (2006) 411-429
52. Moreno F., Pelegrin F., Ferdinandez J., and Murillo J. Soil physical properties, water depletion and crop development under traditional and conservation tillage in Southern Spain. Soil Tillage Res. 41 (1997) 25-42
53. MU-IUC, 2007. Digital database of climatologically and stream flow data of Geba catchment. VLIR (Belgium)-Mekelle University (Ethiopia). Institutional University Cooperation Program, Mekelle and Leuven.
54. Mulugeta L., Karltun E., and Olsson M. Assessing soil chemical and physical property responses to deforestation and subsequent cultivation in smallholders farming system in Ethiopia. Agric. Ecosys. Environ. 105 (2005) 373-386
55. NEDECO, 1997. Tekeze river basin integrated development master plan. A report by The Netherlands Engineering Consultants and Ministry of Water Resources (Ethiopia). Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
56. Nyssen J., Poesen J., Mitiku H., Moeyersons J., and Deckers S. Tillage erosion on slopes with soil conservation structures in the Ethiopian highlands. Soil Tillage Res. 57 (2000) 115-127
57. Nyssen, J., Govaerts, B., Mintesinot, B., Mitiku, H., Sayre, K., Tigist, O., Fisseha, M., Mekonnen, G., Solomon, G., Tewodros, G., Fekadu, G., Nurhussen, T., Wubetu, B., Poesen, J., Raes, D., Verplancke, H., Deckers, J., 2006. Conservation agriculture: a further step in sustainable agricultural intensification in the Northern Ethiopian highlands. In: De Dapper, M., De Lame, D. (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference "Africa's Great Rift: Diversity and Unity". Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Brussels, 29-30 September 2005, pp. 169-183.
58. Nyssen J., Naudts J., De Geyndt K., Mitiku Haile, Poesen J., Moeyersons J., and Deckers J. Soils and land use in the Tigray Highlands (Northern Ethiopia). Land Degrad. Dev. 19 (2008) 257-274
59. Nyssen J., Poesen J., Mitiku Haile, Moeyersons J., Deckers J., and Hurni H. Effects of land use and land cover on sheet and rill erosion rates in the Tigray Highlands, Ethiopia. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie 53 2 (2009) 171-197
60. Oorts K., Bossuyt H., Labreuche J., Merckx R., and Nicolardot B. Carbon and nitrogen stocks in relation to organic matter fractions, aggregation and pore size distribution in no-tillage and conventional tillage in northern France. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 58 (2007) 248-259
61. Reynolds W.D., Drury C.F., Yang X.M., Fox C.A., Tan C.S., and Zhang T.Q. Land management effects on the near-surface physical quality of a clay loam soil. Soil Tillage Res. 96 (2007) 316-330
62. Rezene, F., Zerihun, T., 2001. Weed Research in Tef. In: Hailu, T., Getachew, B., Mark, S. (Eds.), Narrowing the Rift: Tef Research and Development. Proceedings of the International Workshop on tef Genetics and Improvement, DebreZeit, Ethiopia, 16-19 October 2000, pp. 201-213.
63. Rockström J., Kaumbutho P., Mwalley J., Nzabi A.W., Temesgen M., Mawenya L., Barron J., Mutua J., and Damgaard-Larsen S. Conservation farming strategy in East and Southern Africa: yields and rainwater productivity from on-farm action research. Soil Tillage Res. 103 (2009) 23-32
64. SAS, 2002. JMP Software Version 5. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.
65. Sasakawa Global SG-2000/Ethiopia, 2004. Proceedings of the Workshop on Conservation Tillage. Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, East Shewa, Ethiopia.
66. Seyfu, K., 1997. Tef. Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter. Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops. 12. Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben/International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Italy.
67. Smith J.L., and Elliott L.F. Tillage and residue management effects on soil organic matter dynamics in semiarid regions. In: Singh R.P., Parr J.F., and Stewart B.A. (Eds). Dryland Agriculture-Strategies for Sustainability (1990), Springer, New York 68-88
68. Solomon G., Mouazen A., Van Brussel H., Ramon H., Nyssen J., Verplancke H., Mintesinot B., Deckers J., and De Baerdemaeker J. Animal drawn tillage, the Ethiopian ard plough, maresha: a review. Soil Tillage Res. 89 (2006) 129-143
69. Taddesse, E., 1969. Tef (Eragrostis tef): The cultivation usage and some of the unknown disease and insect pests. Part I. Debrezeit Agricultural Experiment station Bulletin No. 60. Haileselassie I University, College of Agriculture, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
70. Tariq A., and Durnford S. Soil volumetric shrinkage measurements: a simple method. Soil Sci. 155 (1993) 325-330
71. USDA, 1999. Soil Taxonomy, A Basic System of soil Classification for Making and Interpreting Soil Surveys, 2nd ed., Agriculture Handbook Number 436. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 870 pp.
72. Van Genuchten M. A closed form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. Soil Sci. Am. J. 44 (1980) 892-898
73. Van Genuchten, M., Simunek, J., Leij, F., Segna, M., 1991. Code for Quantifying the Hydraulic Functions of Unsaturated Soils. US Salinity Laboratory USDA, ARS, Riverside, USA.
74. Walkley A., and Black C.A. Estimation of organic carbon by chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci. 37 (1934) 29-38
75. Whalen J., Quancai H., and Aiguo L. Compost application increase water stable aggregates in conventional and no tillage systems. Soil Sci. Am. J. 67 (2004) 1842-1847
76. Wolde M., Veldkamp E., Mitiku H., Nyssen J., Muys B., and Kindeya G. Effectiveness of exclosures to restore degraded soils as a result of overgrazing in Tigray, Ethiopia. J. Arid Environ. 69 (2007) 270-284
77. WRB, 1998. World Reference Base for Soil Resources: World Soil Resources Reports. International Society of Soil Science, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.
78. Zhang G.S., Chan K.Y., Oates A., Heenan D.P., and Huang G.B. Relationship between soil structure and runoff/soil loss after 24 years of conservation tillage. Soil Tillage Res. 92 (2007) 122-128