Publication Date
1997
Description
Soil acidification and land degradation issues are assuming increasing importance in Australia and challenging the concept of sustainablity of current land management systems. In this study the impact of a 22 year old Leucaena leucocephala / Urochloa mosambicensis (Leucaena) pasture production system on soil acidification and selected soil chemical properties was compared to an adjacent Urochloa mosambicensis (Sabi) area. Significant acidification and cation depletion was observed to 70 cm under the Leucaena when compared to the Sabi system. The net acidification rate for the Leucaena system was estimated to be 2.73 kmol H+ ha-1 yr-1 of which 0.17 kmol H+ ha-1 yr-1 was estimated to have originated from animal product removal. These preliminary results bring into question the long-term sustainability of these legume based production systems.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Long-Term Impact of Leucaena-Based Grazing Systems on Soil Acidity
Soil acidification and land degradation issues are assuming increasing importance in Australia and challenging the concept of sustainablity of current land management systems. In this study the impact of a 22 year old Leucaena leucocephala / Urochloa mosambicensis (Leucaena) pasture production system on soil acidification and selected soil chemical properties was compared to an adjacent Urochloa mosambicensis (Sabi) area. Significant acidification and cation depletion was observed to 70 cm under the Leucaena when compared to the Sabi system. The net acidification rate for the Leucaena system was estimated to be 2.73 kmol H+ ha-1 yr-1 of which 0.17 kmol H+ ha-1 yr-1 was estimated to have originated from animal product removal. These preliminary results bring into question the long-term sustainability of these legume based production systems.
