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Nutrient concentrations and NH 4 + ‐N mineralization under different soil types and fallow forms in southern Cameroon
Author(s) -
Koutika LydieStella,
Ndango Rose,
Hauser Stefan
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.200421431
Subject(s) - mineralization (soil science) , soil fertility , soil water , agronomy , nutrient , oxisol , chromolaena odorata , chemistry , biology , ecology , weed
To evaluate the soil‐fertility sustainability of the fallow systems, nutrient concentrations and NH 4 + ‐N mineralization were determined in different soil and fallow types in the humid forest zone of southern Cameroon. Two experiments were conducted, the first comprised planted leguminous tree Calliandra calothyrsus , planted leguminous Pueraria phaseoloides , and regrowth mainly composed of Chromolaena odorata on the Typic Kandiudult. The second experiment made up of a fallow dominated by C. odorata , a fallow with C. odorata removed, and a P. phaseoloides fallow on the Rhodic Kandiudult, Typic Kandiudult, and Typic Kandiudox. In the first experiment, available P, Ca 2+ , K + concentrations and effective CEC under C. calothyrsus were, respectively, 40%, 22%, 45%, and 15% lower when compared to P. phaseoloides but no differences were found between soils under P. phaseoloides and C. odorata. Mineralization of NH 4 + ‐N was higher under C. calothyrsus than under C. odorata ‐ and P. phaseoloides ‐fallow types, indicating the impoverishment of organic material under the former. In the second experiment, the beneficial effect of P. phaseoloides was found in the Rhodic Kandiudult in the 0–10 cm layer throughout its low NH 4 + release from mineralization. In the Typic Kandiudult, no differences in NH 4 + ‐N mineralization were found between C. odorata and P. phaseoloides fallows. In the Typic Kandiudox, there was no difference in NH 4 + mineralization between the three fallow types. According to the nutrient concentrations and NH 4 + mineralization, the fertility sustainability of the different fallow types may be ranked as follow: P. phaseoloides ≥ C. odorata > C. calothyrsus > fallow without C. odorata.