Organic farming and soil indicators for prediction of environmental impact | |
| Author | Chan Let Mon |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.EV-07-58 |
| Subject(s) | Organic farming--Environmental aspects Soils--Quality--Environmental aspects Sustainable agriculture--Environmental aspects |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | This study aimed to evaluate the soil quality in terms of physical, chemical, biological parameters. The soil samples were collected from Surin province, Thailand and analyzed in Environmental Engineering Laboratory, AIT. The soil samples were collected from four farming (conventional farming (CF), Organic farming (using green manure (GM) and using rice straw (RS)) and control farming (CT) and characterization of soil samples were performed under same environmental conditions. The results from experimental results revealed that physical, chemical and biological properties of soil are difference depending on the different soil type. According analytical data, the soil samples from Conventional farming have higher value of Physical and Chemical properties comparing to other types of soil samples. Especially for Available Phosphors and Total Phosphors had difference range comparing with other treatments. Among treatment samples, Organic farming (both GM and RS) have Available Nitrogen (16.63-26.25mg/kg) were lower than conventional farming. Significantly, the results showed that most of surface layer (top soil; 0-10cm) of Chemical parameter was better than sub-layer (depth soil; 10-20cm), respectively. In addition, laboratory experiments were carried out with focus on Biological parameters of soil samples. The comparison were made on Biological parameters such as Soil respiration, Mineralization of Nitrogen and Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen for first collected soil sample and second collected soil sample by ANOVA one way analysis. According to data analysis, first time collected soil samples have soil respiration rate is better than second sample. However, first sample and surface layer of second sample (0-10cm) were significant at 0.05 levels. In terms of Environmental Impact Analysis for Surin rice paddy soil; this study revealed that chemical properties and biological properties are very low. Likewise, the soil from study area is strong acidic soil and cation exchange capacity (CEC), nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen), carbon, and organic matter were very low level. The low biological properties point out that soil respiration was quite low as well as microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen. On the other hand, nitrogen mineralization can not be improved and low biological soil activity resulted low rice yield. This study revealed that low nutrients with low biological activity resulted on low rice yield and reducing of products as well as negative impact on rice farming. Unfavorable environmental soil condition have been found in study area and the samples have quite acidic condition (low pH) together with limited nutrients (P, N, OM, ect.) for soil microbes to grow, as a result, poor biological quality of all plots in this paddy soil. |
| Year | 2007 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Environmental Engineering and Management (EV) |
| Chairperson(s) | Preeda Parkpian; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Nguyen, Thi Kim Oanh;Shipin, Oleg V.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2007 |