Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
under mulching and reduced tillage practices in the central mid-hills of Nepal as
shown in Table 6.5. Similarly, Tiwari et al. (2009) reported considerable reductions
in soil and nutrient losses compared with traditional farming practices and com-
mercial vegetable cultivation in a mid-hill watershed of central Nepal (Table 6.6).
Although yields were lower under reduced tillage, as can be expected in the early
years, the overall income was not much lower owing to reduced labor inputs com-
pared with traditional farming.
TABLE 6.5
Cropping System Effects on Runoff, Soil, and Nutrient Losses from Upland
Agriculture in the Nepal Mid-Hills
SOM
Loss
Soil Loss
TN Loss
AP Loss
EK Loss
Runoff
(mm)
Cropping System
(Mg ha
−1
)
(kg ha
−1
)
CT, maize
129
15.8
a
0.34
a
18.8
a
1.9
a
4.0
a
CT, maize + SB
117
17.3
a
0.31
a
18.8
a
1.9
a
4.4
a
Mulch, maize
123
9.3
bc
0.17
b
9.6
b
1.0
bc
2.3
b
Mulch, maize + SB
110
8.3
b
0.15
b
9.1
b
0.8
b
2.2
b
RT, maize
128
10.8
bc
0.23
c
11.9
b
0.9
bc
2.6
b
RT, maize + SB
134
11.4
c
0.21
c
11.7
b
1.1
c
2.7
b
Source:
Adapted from Atreya, K., S., Sharma, R.M. Bajracharya, and N.P. Rajbhandari,
Journal of
Environmental Management
, 88, 547, 2008.
Note:
AP, available phosphorus; EK, exchangeable potassium; SOM, soil organic matter; TN, total
nitrogen. Means with the same superscript letter (a, b, or c) are not significantly different.
TABLE 6.6
Annual Soil and Nutrient Losses and Crop Yields (Means ± SE) as Influenced
by Farming Systems in the Central Nepal Mid-Hills
SOC Loss
TN Loss
Farming
System
Soil Loss
(Mg ha
−1
y
−1
)
Annual Average
Yield (Mg ha
−1
y
−1
)
Gross Income
(NRs. ha
−1
y
−1
)
(kg ha
−1
y
−1
)
Traditional
1.22 ± 0.46
25.5 ± 12.3
5.3 ± 2.1
4.07 ± 0.22
a
21,860 ±
2393
a
Reduced till
1.02 ± 0.36
17.5 ± 6.8
3.9 ± 1.5
2.07 ± 0.25
b
20,353 ±
2469
a
Commercial
veg.
1.27 ± 0.43
24.5 ± 11.4
5.6 ± 2.1
3.64 ± 0.15
a
34,721 ±
4621
b
Source:
Modified from Tiwari, K.R., B.K. Sitaula, R.M. Bajracharya, and T. Borresen,
Nutrient
Cycling in Agroecosystems
, 86, 241-253, 2009.
Note:
NRs., Nepali rupees (USD 1 = NRs. 78 approx.); SOM, soil organic matter; TN, total nitrogen.
Means with the same superscript letter (a or b) are not significantly different.
