Effects Of Soil And Water Conservation Practices And Slope Gradients On Selected Soil Physicochemical Properties In Ejersa Watershed, Tokke Kutaye District, Ethiopia

Abstract

Soil erosion and land degradation as a result of various causes have been deteriorating agricultural productivity in Ethiopia. To regulate the problems, numerous integrated practices of soil and water conservation have been implemented in the country. This study was conducted to assess the effects of soil and water conservation practices and slope gradients on selected physicochemical properties of soil at Ejersa watershed, Tokke Kutaye district, Ethiopia. The Ejersa watershed was classified into treated and un-treated lands. Both the treated and un-treated lands were divided into three slope classes namely higher (>20%), medium (10-20%) and lower (<10%). A total of 18 composite soil samples were collected from the treated and un-treated lands. The selected soil physical and chemical properties were analyzed in the laboratory by using standard procedures. The data were analyzed by using statistical software. Highly significant (P<0.01) difference was observed among the slope gradients on soil textural classes. The values of electrical conductivity, soil moisture, total nitrogen and available phosphorus were highly significantly (P<0.01) different between the treated and un-treated lands as well as among the slope gradients. The values of soil bulk density were highly significantly (p<0.01) different between treated and un-treated lands. The pH of soil showed highly significant (P<0.01) variation between treated and un-treated lands and exhibited significant (P<0.05) difference among the slope classes. Soil organic carbon and soil organic matter revealed significant (P<0.05) difference between treated and un-treated lands. The values of cation exchange capacity of soil showed significant (P<0.05) difference between treated and un-treated lands as well as among the slope gradients. Maximum values of many of the selected soil physicochemical properties except bulk density were observed on the conserved land and lower slopes due to decreasing rate of erosion and their deposition effects. Therefore, soil and water conservation practices should widely and sustainability be implemented by the community, government and xii non-government organizations to improve fertility of soil. Additional study is required to see the effects of soil conservation practices on yield of crops grown because this study did not identify them. Extra work is needed to evaluate life of the users of the soil and water conservation practices.