Impacts of Agroforestry on Soil Chemical Properties in Dinajpur Forest Division of Bangladesh

Abstract

An investigation was done to find out the impacts of agroforestry on soil chemical properties. The soil samples were collected from the alley cropped fields of Acacia auriculiformis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Dalbergia sissoo as well as from the adjacent mono cropped agriculture fields (control plots). Comparisons were made to find out the changes in soil chemical properties (pH, organic matter, electrical conductivity and nutrient status) in the alley cropping fields and to rank the changes in respect to tree species. Under agroforestry all the three tree species brought significant changes in the soil chemical properties except boron concentration. Dalbergia sissoo brought significant positive changes in organic matter, electrical conductivity, Ca, K, N, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and S and significant negative changes in pH and P. Acacia auriculiformis brought significant positive changes in organic matter, electrical conductivity, K, N, Mn and Cu and significant negative changes in pH, Ca, P, Zn and Fe. Eucalyptus camaldulensis brought significant positive changes in organic Matter, K, N and Mn and significant negative change in pH, Ca, Mg, P, Cu, Zn and Fe concentration. Dalbergia sissoo increased electrical conductivity, Ca, N, Fe, Cu, Zn and reduced pH most efficiently.