Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands

Assefa Menna

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12

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Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands

Assefa Menna

Published in American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 10, Issue 6)

Received: 16 September 2022 Accepted: 18 October 2022 Published: 4 November 2022

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Abstract

The present investigations determined the vertical distribution and patterns of macronutrients and related soil properties in lands cultivated for wheat and/or faba-bean in the central Ethiopia. It also sought the interrelationships among the investigated soil variables. In doing so, in three representative locations, 30 soil samples were collected at five depth intervals from six profiles/pedons at (0–120 cm range), each profile representing a site. Results showed important variations in the soil properties across profiles and sites owing to multitude of factors. Though, the pattern of changes differ, the soil pH, SO₄^2-, CEC and base-cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺ and Na⁺) were found to increase irregularly with depth, whereas the organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN) and available P showed decreasing trends of change. Correlations among soil properties also varied significantly from topsoil to subsoil, though such relations are quite different when only topsoil (0–20 cm) depth intervals are considered. Furthermore, the particle size analysis showed an increasing percentage of clay with depth, possibly owing to the clay-illuviation. Most importantly, the increased levels of soil variable like K⁺, SO₄^2- & Na⁺ with depth may indicate that they are easily leachable in the soil system. However, the observed higher levels of OC, TN and P in the top-layer than the underlying horizons may indicate the role the biomass recycling and rates have played in their vertical distribution. Overall, for nutrients that are fairly abundant in the subsoil than topsoil, deep-tillage operation like sub-soiling are recommended to bring their available forms to top-layers for shallow rooted plants uptake and/or recycling. Deep capture of the nutrients by tree-roots (e.g., the agroforestry system) can also be practiced to recycle nutrients from deeper layers thereby improving nutrients’ use efficiency; and reducing the potential environmental impacts over time (i. e., in small, medium or large) time-scales.

Published in	American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry (Volume 10, Issue 6)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12
Page(s)	220-229
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Macronutrients, Soil Profile, Pedogenesis, Clay-Illuviation, Eluviation, Leaching, Pedoturbation

References

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APA Style

Assefa Menna. (2022). Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 10(6), 220-229. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12

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ACS Style

Assefa Menna. Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands. Am. J. Agric. For. 2022, 10(6), 220-229. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12

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AMA Style

Assefa Menna. Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands. Am J Agric For. 2022;10(6):220-229. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12,
  author = {Assefa Menna},
  title = {Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands},
  journal = {American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry},
  volume = {10},
  number = {6},
  pages = {220-229},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajaf.20221006.12},
  abstract = {The present investigations determined the vertical distribution and patterns of macronutrients and related soil properties in lands cultivated for wheat and/or faba-bean in the central Ethiopia. It also sought the interrelationships among the investigated soil variables. In doing so, in three representative locations, 30 soil samples were collected at five depth intervals from six profiles/pedons at (0–120 cm range), each profile representing a site. Results showed important variations in the soil properties across profiles and sites owing to multitude of factors. Though, the pattern of changes differ, the soil pH, SO42-, CEC and base-cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+) were found to increase irregularly with depth, whereas the organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN) and available P showed decreasing trends of change. Correlations among soil properties also varied significantly from topsoil to subsoil, though such relations are quite different when only topsoil (0–20 cm) depth intervals are considered. Furthermore, the particle size analysis showed an increasing percentage of clay with depth, possibly owing to the clay-illuviation. Most importantly, the increased levels of soil variable like K+, SO42- & Na+ with depth may indicate that they are easily leachable in the soil system. However, the observed higher levels of OC, TN and P in the top-layer than the underlying horizons may indicate the role the biomass recycling and rates have played in their vertical distribution. Overall, for nutrients that are fairly abundant in the subsoil than topsoil, deep-tillage operation like sub-soiling are recommended to bring their available forms to top-layers for shallow rooted plants uptake and/or recycling. Deep capture of the nutrients by tree-roots (e.g., the agroforestry system) can also be practiced to recycle nutrients from deeper layers thereby improving nutrients’ use efficiency; and reducing the potential environmental impacts over time (i. e., in small, medium or large) time-scales.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands
AU  - Assefa Menna
Y1  - 2022/11/04
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12
T2  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JF  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JO  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
SP  - 220
EP  - 229
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8591
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12
AB  - The present investigations determined the vertical distribution and patterns of macronutrients and related soil properties in lands cultivated for wheat and/or faba-bean in the central Ethiopia. It also sought the interrelationships among the investigated soil variables. In doing so, in three representative locations, 30 soil samples were collected at five depth intervals from six profiles/pedons at (0–120 cm range), each profile representing a site. Results showed important variations in the soil properties across profiles and sites owing to multitude of factors. Though, the pattern of changes differ, the soil pH, SO42-, CEC and base-cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+) were found to increase irregularly with depth, whereas the organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN) and available P showed decreasing trends of change. Correlations among soil properties also varied significantly from topsoil to subsoil, though such relations are quite different when only topsoil (0–20 cm) depth intervals are considered. Furthermore, the particle size analysis showed an increasing percentage of clay with depth, possibly owing to the clay-illuviation. Most importantly, the increased levels of soil variable like K+, SO42- & Na+ with depth may indicate that they are easily leachable in the soil system. However, the observed higher levels of OC, TN and P in the top-layer than the underlying horizons may indicate the role the biomass recycling and rates have played in their vertical distribution. Overall, for nutrients that are fairly abundant in the subsoil than topsoil, deep-tillage operation like sub-soiling are recommended to bring their available forms to top-layers for shallow rooted plants uptake and/or recycling. Deep capture of the nutrients by tree-roots (e.g., the agroforestry system) can also be practiced to recycle nutrients from deeper layers thereby improving nutrients’ use efficiency; and reducing the potential environmental impacts over time (i. e., in small, medium or large) time-scales.
VL  - 10
IS  - 6
ER  -

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Author Information

Assefa Menna

Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Centre, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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Assefa Menna. (2022). Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands. American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 10(6), 220-229. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12

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ACS Style

Assefa Menna. Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands. Am. J. Agric. For. 2022, 10(6), 220-229. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12

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AMA Style

Assefa Menna. Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands. Am J Agric For. 2022;10(6):220-229. doi: 10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12,
  author = {Assefa Menna},
  title = {Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands},
  journal = {American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry},
  volume = {10},
  number = {6},
  pages = {220-229},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajaf.20221006.12},
  abstract = {The present investigations determined the vertical distribution and patterns of macronutrients and related soil properties in lands cultivated for wheat and/or faba-bean in the central Ethiopia. It also sought the interrelationships among the investigated soil variables. In doing so, in three representative locations, 30 soil samples were collected at five depth intervals from six profiles/pedons at (0–120 cm range), each profile representing a site. Results showed important variations in the soil properties across profiles and sites owing to multitude of factors. Though, the pattern of changes differ, the soil pH, SO42-, CEC and base-cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+) were found to increase irregularly with depth, whereas the organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN) and available P showed decreasing trends of change. Correlations among soil properties also varied significantly from topsoil to subsoil, though such relations are quite different when only topsoil (0–20 cm) depth intervals are considered. Furthermore, the particle size analysis showed an increasing percentage of clay with depth, possibly owing to the clay-illuviation. Most importantly, the increased levels of soil variable like K+, SO42- & Na+ with depth may indicate that they are easily leachable in the soil system. However, the observed higher levels of OC, TN and P in the top-layer than the underlying horizons may indicate the role the biomass recycling and rates have played in their vertical distribution. Overall, for nutrients that are fairly abundant in the subsoil than topsoil, deep-tillage operation like sub-soiling are recommended to bring their available forms to top-layers for shallow rooted plants uptake and/or recycling. Deep capture of the nutrients by tree-roots (e.g., the agroforestry system) can also be practiced to recycle nutrients from deeper layers thereby improving nutrients’ use efficiency; and reducing the potential environmental impacts over time (i. e., in small, medium or large) time-scales.},
 year = {2022}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Explore the Profile Distributions and Patterns of Macronutrients and Related Soil Properties and Their Interrelationships in Cultivated Agricultural Lands
AU  - Assefa Menna
Y1  - 2022/11/04
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12
T2  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JF  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
JO  - American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
SP  - 220
EP  - 229
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8591
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajaf.20221006.12
AB  - The present investigations determined the vertical distribution and patterns of macronutrients and related soil properties in lands cultivated for wheat and/or faba-bean in the central Ethiopia. It also sought the interrelationships among the investigated soil variables. In doing so, in three representative locations, 30 soil samples were collected at five depth intervals from six profiles/pedons at (0–120 cm range), each profile representing a site. Results showed important variations in the soil properties across profiles and sites owing to multitude of factors. Though, the pattern of changes differ, the soil pH, SO42-, CEC and base-cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+) were found to increase irregularly with depth, whereas the organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN) and available P showed decreasing trends of change. Correlations among soil properties also varied significantly from topsoil to subsoil, though such relations are quite different when only topsoil (0–20 cm) depth intervals are considered. Furthermore, the particle size analysis showed an increasing percentage of clay with depth, possibly owing to the clay-illuviation. Most importantly, the increased levels of soil variable like K+, SO42- & Na+ with depth may indicate that they are easily leachable in the soil system. However, the observed higher levels of OC, TN and P in the top-layer than the underlying horizons may indicate the role the biomass recycling and rates have played in their vertical distribution. Overall, for nutrients that are fairly abundant in the subsoil than topsoil, deep-tillage operation like sub-soiling are recommended to bring their available forms to top-layers for shallow rooted plants uptake and/or recycling. Deep capture of the nutrients by tree-roots (e.g., the agroforestry system) can also be practiced to recycle nutrients from deeper layers thereby improving nutrients’ use efficiency; and reducing the potential environmental impacts over time (i. e., in small, medium or large) time-scales.
VL  - 10
IS  - 6
ER  -

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