Changes in the Soil Chemical Properties due to Mangifera indica (Mango) Biomass on the Soil in Western Burkina Faso

Abstract

A study on the effect of Mangifera indica biomass on soil chemical properties was conducted at INERA in Farako-Ba in western Burkina Faso. To do this, samples were taken from Mangifera indica orchards and a compost pile based on biomass from mango leaves was set up. The main objective of the study was to contribute to a better understanding of the effects of Mangifera indica biomass on soil chemical properties. The experimental system set up consisted of three blocks, each block being subdivided into two sub-plots. From the results obtained, we can conclude that the contents of soil organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are higher in the soil under the crown of Mangifera indica compared to the soil outside the crown, which is a definite advantage in the fight against the degradation of agricultural land. In the Mangifera indica orchard, the soil pH drops from 6.58 under the crown to 5.64 for the control soil. The organic C content obtained in the soil taken from under the crown decreases by 11% at 3 m from the crown and by 13% for the soil taken from 6 m from the crown. The same trend is observed with the nitrogen content. These litters are characterized by high levels of phosphorus (1195mg.kg-1) and potassium (1317 mg.kg-1). The results obtained have raised questions about the status of the soil under cultivation of Magnifiera indica, and therefore require further investigations.