Impact of <i>Parkland</i> Trees (<i>Faidherbia albida</i> Delile and Cordia Africana <i>Lam</i>) on Selected Soil Properties and Sorghum Yield in Eastern Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the impact of Parkland trees in farmland on selected soil physicochemical properties and sorghum grain yields in Fedis District, Oromia, Ethiopia. For the experiment of soil physicochemical properties, three factors: distance from tree trunk with three levels (at 2.5m of crown, edge of crown radius and open field), soil depth with two levels (0-20cm and 20-40cm depth) and tree species with two levels with factorial arrangement in RCBD replicated six times were employed. For sorghum grain yield only two factors; distance from tree trunk with three levels (at at 2.5m of crown, edge of crown radius and open field) and tree species (F. albida and C. africana) with two levels in RCBD replicated six times were used. The result revealed soil texture was not influenced significantly (P>0.05) by tree species. Soil bulk density was significantly (p<0.05) lower under canopy of trees than open field, and in surface than in subsurface soils. As well as soil moisture content was significantly (p<0.05) higher under canopy of trees than open fields. Soil chemical properties (EC, SOC, OM, Soil Carbon Stock, total N, available P, exchangeable Na, exchangeable K, exchangeable Ca, exchangeable Mg and CEC) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in canopy than open field and in surface than subsurface. Soil pH was not significantly (p>0.05) influenced by both tree species. The grain yield of sorghum (sorghum bicolor) were significantly (P<0.05) higher under canopy of both trees species as compared to the open field. In general, the nutrients contents increased by 84.3% and 71.5% for OC, 84.2% and 70.8% for OM, 66% and 59% for SOC Stocks, 82% and 84% for TN, 96% and 79% for AP, 15.6% and 34.2% for CEC, 30% and 10% for EC, 82% and 27.2% for Na, 41% and 30.4% for K, 33.8% and 28.2% for Ca and 58% and 87% for Mg and 13.22% and 13.15% for MC and by 43% and 41% for Sorghum yield were detected under the canopies of F. albida and C. africana tree species respectively. It can be concluded that these tree species have the potential to improve soil fertility and moisture beneath its canopy. Thus, retaining these tree species and in particular F. albida on crop field in the study area is of paramount importance for soil fertility enhancement so as to improve food security of small farming households.

Assessment of Existing Agroforestry Practices in East Hararghe Zone Oromia, Ethiopia

“…The future of agroforestry lies on the way researchers, workers, and policymakers understand the usefulness of the existing traditional agroforestry practices knowledge about trees in the agroforestry. In Ethiopia, information, on traditional agroforestry practices is generated from limited studies [3,25,6] and are more specific in terms of site, constraints and socioeconomic benefits [7,25,19,2,12,1].…”

Management of Alternative Organic Fertilizer Sources for Wheat Production: Evidence from Decomposition Dynamics and Agronomic, Economic, and Farmers’ Preferences

“…Reports have also shown a higher Cm nutrient content over the leaves of Eb and FYM [17,19,29,30]. However, in general, the chemical characteristics of organic nutrient sources were analyzed to show that these sources were found to be high in nutrient contents and encouraging to be used as a soil amendment based on the reports of several authors [17,[30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. Te authors also reported that in addition to nutrient contents, organic materials could improve important soil functions by increasing soil organic matter content, enhancing microbial (fungal and bacterial) biomass and activity.…”

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Cordia africana, Ficus sur and Manihot esculenta on Soil Chemical Properties in an Agroforestry System

“…However, the numerical results of the current study show that Cordia africana also plays a major role in improving soil fertility compared to Manihot esculenata. Several studies back up this justi cation (Abdella et al, 2020;Abraham, 2014;Yadessa et al, 2009;Yadessa et al, 2001;Zebene, 2003). For the improvement of soil fertility, native plants like Cordia africana and Ficus sur are preferentially preserved on smallholder agricultural land (Lemage and Legesse, 2018), albeit their contributions vary according on the particular goal.…”