Soil quality dynamics under varying cropping patterns in the Uma Oya Watershed, Sri Lanka | |
| Author | Thevachandran, Shiamala |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AS-05-14 |
| Subject(s) | Soils--Sri Lanka--Quality Soil management--Sri Lanka Cropping systems--Sri Lanka |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. AS-05-14 |
| Abstract | This study was conducted to assess soil quality in the different cropping patterns in four villages, Puranwela, Palugama Ella, Kebiligama and Idamegama at Welimada Divisional Secretary Division in the Uma Oya watershed in Uva province of Sri Lanka. The objectives of the study were 1) to gather information on cropping history, identify and characterize typical cropping patterns in the area in the context of history and the driving forces for these changes, and 2) to assess the soil- quality dynamics in associated with cropping patterns. The cropping in the area involves both rainfed and irrigated. The area is known for the cultivation of high value crops, i.e. potato and vegetables. Rainfed cultivation is mainly one season, but in situations where water is even available for a short period, two crops are rarely grown. On the other hand, irrigated area is cultivated with three crops, rice/ potato is dominant in the early part of the year, and vegetables are grown in rotation in the rest of the time. The irrigable lands have a history of more than 100 years of the history of cropping. But rainfed cultivation is about 75 years old. There was a rapid change in cropping patterns, which was due to development of infrastructure including markets. Increasing population pressure, economic status of the people, farmers expectations and government policies led to the land use changes over time in this study area. Eight common cropping patterns including abandoned tea lands grown with secondary forest and grasses subjected for soil quality dynamic study: potato-fallow-vegetable-fallow (two year rotation), potato-vegetable-vegetable, potato-fallow, vegetable-fallow, tea land, potato-vegetable-fallow, paddy-potato-vegetable, and abandoned tea with secondary forest and grasses. Principal component analysis was adopted using 19 parameters of which only 11 parameters qualified for minimum data set (MDS) as contributed to soil quality analysis. It confirmed that except abandoned tea lands, rest of the cropping patterns had non significant differences among them in the soil quality. The former had the lowest soil quality due to its vulnerability to soil erosion in the absence of proper land and soil management. However cropping patterns were fairly managed and hence almost equal in soil quality. The study reveals that with soil quality index values of cropping patterns (less than 0.75), the soils have high potential and capacity to improve the quality. This could be achieved by promoting the farmers to apply organic matter to each of the crop together with proper crop and soil management and following regular soil rehabilitation practices |
| Year | 2005 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. AS-05-14 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Aquatic Systems(AS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Ranamukhaarachchi, S.L.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Jayasuriya, Hemantha P.W.;Clemente, R. S.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of Denmark (DANIDA); |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2005 |