Agrisost (Jan 2017)

Agricultural Practices to Mitigate Soil Degradation and Increase Carbon Capture

  • Albaro Blanco Imbert ,
  • Illovis Fernández Betancourt ,
  • Teudys Limeres Jiménez ,
  • Marianela Cintra Arencibia ,
  • José Fuentes Quintana ,
  • Roberto Sanchez Rojas ,
  • Antonio Barzaga Lobaina ,
  • Abel Castillo Duran

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 1
pp. 24 – 31

Abstract

Read online

The implementation of new practices and their results to prevent or mitigate soil degradation and increase carbon capture were presented in this paper. The study was made on "Los Barzaga" farm, in the province of Guantanamo, where poor drainage conditions, low soil fertility and erosion affect 90% of the area, causing greater degradation and reduction of production. Several soil preservation and improvement procedures were established, considering the limiting factors identified. The physical and chemical indexes were evaluated, and the carbon reserves were monitored. The practices implemented (live and dead barriers, rill and reservoir correction), contributed to a 62 t. ha-1 reduction of soil loss, with positive changes in apparent density, infiltration and compacting velocity, and nutrient contents. Additionally, soil carbon increased to 20.67%.

Keywords