Degree of Soil Erosion in Bataan Upland Areas Covered with Pineapple using Different Planting Systems
Ricson L. Ines, Jonathan E. Lacayanga, Walter G. Valdez, Ernesto A. Viray Jr. and Guillermo S.Rillon Jr.1
ABSTRACT
Pineapple production is one of the major commodities of Samal and Abucay, Bataan. Most of the products come from the upland areas where temperature and climate are suitable for growing the crop. It is usually intercropped with other crops or fruit trees without conservation measures. This practice adversely affect soil condition due to erosion. Continued upland farming without conservation practices will eventually leads to upland degradation and affecting the lowland areas.
Pineapple planted along the slope generated a mean soil loss of 23.275 tons/hectare/year which is higher than the area planted across the slope with a mean of 13.036 tons/ hectare/year. It is also higher than the unproductive or undisturbed land with 0.0072 tons /hectare/year soil loss. Conditions laid on the 17.36 percent slope were related to 3,320.5 mm of rainfall intensity during the study period. The generated weight of soil erosion was 80.37 percent higher than the obtained soil erosion using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE = 4.756 tons/ha).
Severe soil erosion was found on both planting system while planting along the slope exhibited 44 percent higher (10.239 tons/ha/year) than erosion on pineapple planted across the slope.
The study likewise developed an equation to estimate soil loss (tons/ha/year) on two planting systems using non-linear regression analysis. The unproductive land or undisturbed land yielded an equation: Y = 0.00000001X2 – 0.0000046X + 0.002553 while for pineapple planted along the slope has an equation: Y = 0.0000609X2 – 0.01678X + 0.75714 and pineapple planted across the slope or contouring has an equation: Y = 0.00203X2 – 0.005933X + 0.25238. This equation utilizes data on rainfall depth as a factor of soil erosion. The generated soil loss equation would primarily estimate volume of soil eroded in relation to rainfall depth and served as benchmark for policy makers, researcher and farmers on what method of planting should be used.
Keywords: Soil erosion, Contour cultivation, Slope planting
1Faculty Researchers, Bataan Peninsula State University and Tarlac College of Agriculture