Soil and nutrient movement associated with tree-crop planting on sloping land

• Main Authors: G. M. Hashim Ghulam Mohammaed Hashim (Author), Wan Abdullah Wan Yusoff (Author), Ciesiolka, C.A.A. Cybil Albert Arnold (Author)
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) 1996
• Series: MARDI Report
• Subjects: Soil Erosion; Plant-soil Relationships; Plant Nutrients
• Online Access: Click Here to View Status and Holdings.

 The book explores on the relationship between perennial tree crops and soil erosion in humid tropical regions. Perennial crops like rubber, oil palm, and cocoa are believed to cause less soil erosion than annuals due to minimal cultivation and soil disturbance. They also offer soil protection through leaf litter and canopy spread. Studies on rubber and oil palm show the importance of good soil surface cover to minimize erosion, with mature plantations using pruned fronds or leaf litter for this purpose. However, the role of leaf litter in cocoa cultivation erosion control is less studied. Cocoa cultivation, demanding in terms of soil quality, traditionally thrives in areas with deep, fertile soil. Over time, cocoa cultivation expanded to slopeland areas where erosion becomes a management concern. Soil erosion processes in tree-crop systems are influenced not only by physical land characteristics but also by factors like leaf litter, canopy, shade trees, intercrops, and faunal activities. The report aims to discuss soil and nutrient loss characteristics in a tree-crop system based on a 4-year soil erosion study in an upland area.