Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System Cultivation
In conservation agriculture, the no-tillage cultivation system and the retention of permanent vegetal cover are crucial to the control of soil erosion by water. This paper analyses the cultivation of maize under no-tillage, with particular reference to the effect produced on soil erosion when weed c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/5/974 |
| _version_ | 1797534215117471744 |
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| author | Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda Amilcar Aguilar-Carrillo Francisco Lima |
| author_facet | Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda Amilcar Aguilar-Carrillo Francisco Lima |
| author_sort | Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In conservation agriculture, the no-tillage cultivation system and the retention of permanent vegetal cover are crucial to the control of soil erosion by water. This paper analyses the cultivation of maize under no-tillage, with particular reference to the effect produced on soil erosion when weed control is performed by a hand tool (machete), which disturbs the surface of the soil, and to the behavior of the soil cover in these circumstances. The study area is located in the humid tropical mountains of northern Nicaragua (Peñas Blancas Massif Nature Reserve). The results obtained show that 59.2% of the soil surface was affected by appreciable levels of sheet and splash erosion, although the vegetal cover of the soil was relatively high (with average weed and litter cover of 33.9% and 33.8%, respectively). The use of machetes for weed control provoked considerable soil disturbance, which explained the high rates of erosion observed. Moreover, this form of soil management disturbs the litter layer, making it less effective in preventing erosion. The litter remains loose on the soil surface, and so an increase in soil cover does not achieve a proportionate reduction in the area affected by erosion; thus, even with 80–100% weed and litter cover, 42% of the cultivated area continued to present soil erosion. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:26:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0dbe4b9326d848729e59d07d01ccce82 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:26:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-0dbe4b9326d848729e59d07d01ccce822023-11-21T19:35:01ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-05-0111597410.3390/agronomy11050974Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System CultivationRafael Blanco-Sepúlveda0Amilcar Aguilar-Carrillo1Francisco Lima2Geographic Analysis Research Group, Department of Geography, Campus of Teatinos, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, SpainTropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Centre (CATIE), CATIE 7170, Turrialba 30501, Costa RicaGeographic Analysis Research Group, Department of Geography, Campus of Teatinos, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, SpainIn conservation agriculture, the no-tillage cultivation system and the retention of permanent vegetal cover are crucial to the control of soil erosion by water. This paper analyses the cultivation of maize under no-tillage, with particular reference to the effect produced on soil erosion when weed control is performed by a hand tool (machete), which disturbs the surface of the soil, and to the behavior of the soil cover in these circumstances. The study area is located in the humid tropical mountains of northern Nicaragua (Peñas Blancas Massif Nature Reserve). The results obtained show that 59.2% of the soil surface was affected by appreciable levels of sheet and splash erosion, although the vegetal cover of the soil was relatively high (with average weed and litter cover of 33.9% and 33.8%, respectively). The use of machetes for weed control provoked considerable soil disturbance, which explained the high rates of erosion observed. Moreover, this form of soil management disturbs the litter layer, making it less effective in preventing erosion. The litter remains loose on the soil surface, and so an increase in soil cover does not achieve a proportionate reduction in the area affected by erosion; thus, even with 80–100% weed and litter cover, 42% of the cultivated area continued to present soil erosion.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/5/974water erosionconservation agricultureno-tillageweed control by hand toolground vegetal cover |
| spellingShingle | Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda Amilcar Aguilar-Carrillo Francisco Lima Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System Cultivation Agronomy water erosion conservation agriculture no-tillage weed control by hand tool ground vegetal cover |
| title | Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System Cultivation |
| title_full | Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System Cultivation |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System Cultivation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System Cultivation |
| title_short | Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System Cultivation |
| title_sort | impact of weed control by hand tools on soil erosion under a no tillage system cultivation |
| topic | water erosion conservation agriculture no-tillage weed control by hand tool ground vegetal cover |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/5/974 |
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