Characterisation and erodibility of soils under different land uses for their management and sustained production

摘要

Soil characteristics and erodibility indices of three soil depths viz. 0-5, 5-15 and 15-30 cm under five different land uses namely land under Leucaena, Prosopis, rainfed agriculture, grasses and open gullied lands were determined for their managementand sustained production in south-east Rajasthan. Soils under Leucaena and Prosopis land uses had higher organic carbon and clay content followed by land under grasses and rainfed agriculture and lowest in open gullied land. Considering the erosion ratio and dispersion ratio, the erodibility of soils was in the order of open gullied > rainfed agriculture > Prosopis > Leucaena > grass lands. The highly significant correlation was observed between erosion ratio and dispersion ratio (r = + 0.87), percolation ratio (r = +0.95), clay ratio (r = +0.86). suspension percentage (r = + 0.69) and colloid : moisture equivalent ratio (r = +0.69) indicating their important role in eroding soils. Land under Prosopis and Leucaena can be managed by their plantation ofother fast growing multi-vegetational forest plants and protection against biotic interferences. Open gullied lands may be managed with cost effective mechanical and vegetative measures and gully plugging. Grasslands may be managed by replacing degenerated grasses in rortation and control grazing and rainfed agriculture by adopting agronomical measures to reduce erodibility for sustainable production.