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<p>Conservation agricultural (CA) practices such as no-tillage and crop residue retention in agroecosystems present a great opportunity to address climate change risks in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through, among others, increased soil organic carbon storage. However, it remains unclear how different arable crop cover types under CA practices impact soil carbon and nutrient stocks in mesic savanna ecosystems in the sub-region. This study evaluated three arable crop cover types viz. maize-cowpea in a relay and in annual rotation with soybean and vegetables established for four years. The experimental plots comprised CA practice under the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Program (GASIP) in three agroclimatic zones of Forest-Savanna, Guinea and Sudan savannas for which annual precipitation ranges from 1000 to 1300 mm. Adjacent farmer’s fields under conventional farming practices were selected as baseline soils (control) for comparison. Soils were sampled at 0–15 and 15–30 cm depths. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen (N) were determined by dry chemistry with the CN elemental analyzer (Elementar, Germany) whilst all other chemical properties were determined via wet chemistry using standard protocols. The results showed higher soil organic carbon content (&gt; 2.0%) and nutrient concentrations in GASIP plots under CA practices than adjacent farmer’s fields without CA practices. The CA increased soil carbon stocks by about twofold and improved soil total N and available phosphorus (P) concentrations by 2–3 and &gt; 3 folds, respectively, whilst reducing soil acidity, thus proving as climate-smart agricultural practice. Inclusion of soybean as an N-fixing crop and vegetables as short-duration crops for improving farmer's livelihood in the minor season, enhanced soil carbon stock by 90–130%. Soil moisture was an important contributor to soil organic carbon stock in the messic savannas alongside soil chemical properties especially soil total N and exchangeable cations (K<sup>+</sup>, Ca<sup>2+</sup> and Mg<sup>2+</sup>) with implications for farm productivity in the era of climate change.</p>

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Conservation agriculture in mesic savannas: impact on soil organic carbon and nutrient stocks in Ghana

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年6月13日

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  • Philip Antwi-Agyei,
  • Emmanuel Baidoo,
  • Awudu Abubakari,
  • Bright Oteng Adarkwa,
  • Edmund Kyei Akoto-Danso,
  • Vincent Logah,
  • Robert Clement Abaidoo

摘要

Conservation agricultural (CA) practices such as no-tillage and crop residue retention in agroecosystems present a great opportunity to address climate change risks in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through, among others, increased soil organic carbon storage. However, it remains unclear how different arable crop cover types under CA practices impact soil carbon and nutrient stocks in mesic savanna ecosystems in the sub-region. This study evaluated three arable crop cover types viz. maize-cowpea in a relay and in annual rotation with soybean and vegetables established for four years. The experimental plots comprised CA practice under the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Program (GASIP) in three agroclimatic zones of Forest-Savanna, Guinea and Sudan savannas for which annual precipitation ranges from 1000 to 1300 mm. Adjacent farmer’s fields under conventional farming practices were selected as baseline soils (control) for comparison. Soils were sampled at 0–15 and 15–30 cm depths. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen (N) were determined by dry chemistry with the CN elemental analyzer (Elementar, Germany) whilst all other chemical properties were determined via wet chemistry using standard protocols. The results showed higher soil organic carbon content (> 2.0%) and nutrient concentrations in GASIP plots under CA practices than adjacent farmer’s fields without CA practices. The CA increased soil carbon stocks by about twofold and improved soil total N and available phosphorus (P) concentrations by 2–3 and > 3 folds, respectively, whilst reducing soil acidity, thus proving as climate-smart agricultural practice. Inclusion of soybean as an N-fixing crop and vegetables as short-duration crops for improving farmer's livelihood in the minor season, enhanced soil carbon stock by 90–130%. Soil moisture was an important contributor to soil organic carbon stock in the messic savannas alongside soil chemical properties especially soil total N and exchangeable cations (K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) with implications for farm productivity in the era of climate change.