Abstract:
Land degradation in the form of soil erosion is one of the major problems in Ethiopia affecting soil property and crop productivity. To overcome the problem and improve crop productivity, physical and biological soil and water conservation practices have great impact. Thus, this research was designed to investigate the effect of Soil and Water Conservation Measures and slope gradient on Selected Soil Physicochemical Properties and Barley Yield, at Sila micro watershed, Ethiopia, where SWC measures have been implemented two decade. Soil samples and Barley crop yield data were collected and analyzed. About 24 samples were taken from the farmlands with (three type of SWC measures and untreated on two slope classes and replicated 3 times) to identify soil physicochemical properties and crop yield at 1m*1m plot area. The treatments included from cultivated lands such as (untreated, stone face soil bund, soil bund and fanya juu stabilized by tree lucerne) with two slope classes (10-15%) and (15-30%). The significant difference of soil properties due to SWC measures and slope gradient was tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA) following general Linear Model (GLM) procedure and mean comparison carried out using LSD test at α<0.05 level of significance. The result of soil analysis showed that lower bulk density and clay and higher value soil moisture content, Silt, pH, OC, OM, TN, AvK, CEC, and AvP recorded from conserved cultivated lands than adjacent non-conserved cultivated land. Barley grown on conserved cultivated lands was significantly increased in plant height, straw yield and grain yield on plots by 58%, 29% and 32% respectively than control. Thus, physical and biological SWC measures have positive impacts on soil and Barley production, however, the effect is more pronounced under integrated SWC measures with plantation and longer duration (12 years) after construction. Based on the results of the study physical and biological soil and water conservation measures should be suggested for sustainable soil fertility management and Barley production.
Key words: land degradation, cultivated land, bund, slope class.