Soil Erosion, Nutrient Balance and Economic Value of Various Soil and Water ConservationMethods and Farmer’s Perspective after Transfer the Knowledge of Soil and Water Conservation Systems

Abstract

The experiment was to study soil erosion, soil nitrogen balance and economic value of planting maize on sloping land with various soil and water conservation methods compared to planting maize according to farmer practice. The field experiment was conducted at Bo Moung Noi Village, Sang Pa Sub-district, Nahaw District, Loei Province and data were collected for 3 years from 2003 to 2005. The experiment was carried out as RCBD with two replications. The treatments comprised of 1) planting maize as farmer practice 2) planting maize in contour rows between five 1-m wide barriers of vetiver grass 3) planting maize in contour rows between five 1-m wide barriers of ruzi grass and mango trees were planted in the middle of the grass strips 4) planting maize in contour rows between five 1-m wide of Leucaena hedge and 5) planting maize in contour rows between five 1-m wide barriers of ruzi grass and papaya trees were planted in the middle of the grass strips. All treatments were applied with chemical fertilizer of 61 kg N ha-1 plus 14 kg P ha-1. After wards transfer the knowledge of soil and water conservation systems to farmers in order to study the farmerûs perspectives on the acceptance of transferred soil and water conservation systems on sloping land. The results indicated that planting maize in contour rows between barriers of ruzi grass and papaya trees was the most effective in reducing soil eresion surface runoff including maintained positive soil nitrogen balance whereas planting maize according to farmer practice was the least effective. Economic value of 5 methods of maize planting was found. Planting maize in contour rows between barriers of ruzi grass and papaya trees provided highest economic value throughout 3 years of the experiment. Whereas planting maize according to farmer practice gave high economic value only for the first 2 years of the experiment. In the treatments of planting maize in contour rows between barriers of vetiver grass, planning maize in contour rows between barriers of ruzi grass with mango trees and planting maize in contour rows between Leucaena hedge provided lesser income than the investment in the first year but more profit in the 2nd and 3rd years. The analysis of showed that the farmers had gain the understanding in soil and water conservation system. And they preferred and the method of planting maize in contour rows between barriers of ruzi grass and papaya trees.