Estimation of Soil Loss for Different Soil Series, Tillage Management and Slopes under Soybean Cropping in Malwa Agro-Climatic Zone

Abstract

The soil erosion can cause a reduction in agricultural productivity, ecosystem disturbances, and pollution of water. Physical and climatic features of a catchment such as topographic conditions, land use land cover, rainfall intensity, and the soil characteristics are the key significant factors of the soil erosion. The loss of the top fertile soil nutrients is intensely increasing. In present study soil loss for 12 soil series viz., Kheri, Bararia, Junapania, Namali, Dhamaniya Diwan, Dhodar, Surajpura, Paroliya, Ratangarh, Khermaliya, Morwan and Hathipura and 3 different tillage management viz., conventional tillage, ridge and furrow system and no tillage system under soybean crop in Malwa Agro-climatic Zone in central India has been estimated. The soil loss for four different sloes viz., 1%, >1% to < 3%, >3 to <5% and >5% under these soil series and management practices have been studied. The results of the study revealed that soil loss found decreased with decrease in slope and vice-versa. Similarly, the soil loss was found higher under conventional tillage (4.134 t acre-1 y-1) as compared to the ridge and furrow system (1.447 t acre-1 y-1) and no tillage system (1.033 t acre-1 y-1). The Bararia soil series (4.196 t acre-1 y-1) found most vulnerable to the soil loss whereas the Dhodar soil series (1.036 t acre-1 y-1) was found resistant to soil loss under soybean cropping in Malwa Agro-climatic Zone.