TITLE:
What Is the Impact of Ploughing on Eucalyptus Plantations in Bambou Mingali (Plateaux Batéké, Republic of Congo)?
AUTHORS:
Hugues-Yvan Gomat, Darius Martin Bengo, Suspense Averti Ifo, François Mankessi, Josias Ossendza, Prosper Mabiala, Bernhard Zeller, Laurent Saint-Andre
KEYWORDS:
Ploughing, Mineralization, Eucalyptus, Plateaux Batéké, Congo
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.15 No.10,
October
28,
2024
ABSTRACT: Soil ploughing is an important stage in the preparation of planting, causing disturbance to the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. Soil ploughing can affect the availability of nutrients and water resources, and its effect can be short, medium or long-term. Soil ploughing accelerates surface heating and air circulation and encourages mineralisation by transforming organic matter into mineral salts, making nutrients soluble and accessible to plants. The aim of this study is to determine how soil ploughing affects the distribution of nutrients in the soil profile. The study focuses on nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, which are major elements of soil fertility on the Batéké plateaux in Congo. The results indicate that ploughing significantly modifies the distribution at depth des elements nutritifs: there is more accumulation at the surface than at depth (ei: nitrogen 1.34 t/ha ± 0.035 at 10 cm compared with 1.034 t/ha ± 0.098 at 50 cm) with a higher concentration of carbon (13.89 t/ha ± 0.87) followed by nitrogen (1.34 t/ha ± 0.035).