Effect of no‐tillage on soil redistribution estimated by beryllium‐7, soil moisture, and carbon fractions loss in central Benin

Abstract

Abstract Soil erosion has become one of the most common environmental problems and threatens food security. This study assessed the short‐term effect of tillage and mulch on soil redistribution using the beryllium‐7 method, soil moisture distribution, and soil organic carbon loss through soil erosion in typical agroecological conditions of Benin. The experiment was conducted on acrisols (at Dan) and ferralsols (at Za‐zounmè) in central Benin. Three tillage practices slope ridging (SR), contour ridging (CR), and no‐tillage (NT), and three mulch doses 0 (0 M), 3 (3 M), and 7 t ha−1 (7 M) on soil erosion under maize were investigated. The results showed a tillage and mulch interaction significantly (p < 0.05) influencing the soil redistribution, the loss of total carbon, the carbon of the particulate organic matter (C_POM), and the carbon content of the fine organic matter (C_MOM). High soil erosion was observed under SR0M (−10.19 t ha−1) at Dan and under NT0M (−7.36 t ha−1) at Za‐zounmè. NT7M (0.80 t ha−1), SR7M (0.69 t ha−1), CR3M (2.07 t ha−1), and CR7M (4.05 t ha−1) showed deposition at Dan, while SR7M (0.23 t ha−1), NT7M (1.69 t ha−1), and CR7M (3.93 t ha−1) showed deposition at Za‐zounmè. C_MOM was lost on both sites. Mulch increases soil moisture for all three tillage treatments, and this effect is well pronounced especially if the amount of mulch is great. This study revealed useful information to be taken into consideration when developing soil and water conservation management strategies in Benin.