Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South Africa
Earthworms play a pivotal role in the regulation of soil health. Studies that explore the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) principles on earthworms under the semi-arid climate of the central Eastern Cape (EC) of South Africa (SA) are limited. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of...
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/12/576 |
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| author | Sixolise Mcinga Lindah Muzangwa Kudzayi Janhi Pearson Nyari Stephano Mnkeni |
| author_facet | Sixolise Mcinga Lindah Muzangwa Kudzayi Janhi Pearson Nyari Stephano Mnkeni |
| author_sort | Sixolise Mcinga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Earthworms play a pivotal role in the regulation of soil health. Studies that explore the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) principles on earthworms under the semi-arid climate of the central Eastern Cape (EC) of South Africa (SA) are limited. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of tillage, crop rotations, and residue management on earthworms’ abundance and species richness. The study design followed a split-split plot with three replicates. The main plot was allocated to tillage treatment, which had conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (no-till) as factors. Crop rotation treatment was allocated to a subplot, and had maize (<i>Zea mays</i>)–fallow–maize (MFM), maize–fallow–soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) (MFS), maize–wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>)–maize (MWM), and maize–wheat–soybean (MWS). Residue management was in the sub-subplot with residue retention and residue removal. The study was carried out over four cropping seasons: summer 2015–2016, winter 2016, spring 2016, and summer 2016–2017. The results showed that the genera <i>Amynthas</i> and <i>Lumbricus</i>, both belonging to the anecic group, and <i>Dendrobaena</i>, belonging to the epigeic group, were present. Earthworm species diversity and density were highest under no-till than under CT. Residue retention improved earthworm density regardless of tillage management. Rotations that had fallow periods recorded lower earthworm numbers as compared to continuous cropping systems where wheat was grown in winter. The study concluded that maize–wheat–soybean (MWS) rotation with residue retention results in the highest earthworm abundance and species richness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:36:40Z |
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| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:36:40Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-28e37927aacc456a9eb6ac19a7d9addc2023-11-20T22:04:32ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722020-11-01101257610.3390/agriculture10120576Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South AfricaSixolise Mcinga0Lindah Muzangwa1Kudzayi Janhi2Pearson Nyari Stephano Mnkeni3Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South AfricaUnit for Environmental Sciences & Management, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South AfricaDepartment of Agronomy, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Alice 5700, South AfricaFaculty of Science and Technology, University of Arusha, P.O. Box 7 Arusha, TanzaniaEarthworms play a pivotal role in the regulation of soil health. Studies that explore the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) principles on earthworms under the semi-arid climate of the central Eastern Cape (EC) of South Africa (SA) are limited. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of tillage, crop rotations, and residue management on earthworms’ abundance and species richness. The study design followed a split-split plot with three replicates. The main plot was allocated to tillage treatment, which had conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (no-till) as factors. Crop rotation treatment was allocated to a subplot, and had maize (<i>Zea mays</i>)–fallow–maize (MFM), maize–fallow–soybean (<i>Glycine max</i>) (MFS), maize–wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i>)–maize (MWM), and maize–wheat–soybean (MWS). Residue management was in the sub-subplot with residue retention and residue removal. The study was carried out over four cropping seasons: summer 2015–2016, winter 2016, spring 2016, and summer 2016–2017. The results showed that the genera <i>Amynthas</i> and <i>Lumbricus</i>, both belonging to the anecic group, and <i>Dendrobaena</i>, belonging to the epigeic group, were present. Earthworm species diversity and density were highest under no-till than under CT. Residue retention improved earthworm density regardless of tillage management. Rotations that had fallow periods recorded lower earthworm numbers as compared to continuous cropping systems where wheat was grown in winter. The study concluded that maize–wheat–soybean (MWS) rotation with residue retention results in the highest earthworm abundance and species richness.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/12/576conservation agricultureearthwormsdiversitydensitybiomasssoil organic carbon |
| spellingShingle | Sixolise Mcinga Lindah Muzangwa Kudzayi Janhi Pearson Nyari Stephano Mnkeni Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South Africa Agriculture conservation agriculture earthworms diversity density biomass soil organic carbon |
| title | Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_full | Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_short | Conservation Agriculture Practices Can Improve Earthworm Species Richness and Abundance in the Semi-Arid Climate of Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| title_sort | conservation agriculture practices can improve earthworm species richness and abundance in the semi arid climate of eastern cape south africa |
| topic | conservation agriculture earthworms diversity density biomass soil organic carbon |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/12/576 |
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