New research from the National University in Palmira confirms that sugarcane crops do not deteriorate the physical conditions of the soils of Valle del Cauca and, on the contrary, could contribute to their conservation, given proper agronomic management.
New research from the National University in Palmira confirms that sugarcane crops do not deteriorate the physical conditions of the soils of Valle del Cauca and, on the contrary, could contribute to their conservation, given proper agronomic management.
Although the study carried out by the Research Group on Simple Indicators of Soil Degradation of the University only covered 50,000 hectares of the 223,905 planted with sugar cane in the geographical valley of the Cauca River, the findings are important because they are a basic resource that demands actions to guarantee its conservation.
“The compaction state of the soils was verified in the field. Hydrological, mechanical resistance, and permeability tests were carried out at 144 sites ... and the findings were very favorable, with an additional factor: an organic matter content of around 4% was found that was not customary to see. In other words, it had grown, which was very good news ”, explained Professor Edgar Madero, director of the Group.
Organic matter is a stable compound essential for the structure of soils, from the decomposition of plant and animal residues that, when biochemically disintegrating, become essential elements for the growth of plants, hence the importance of their content in the soil. . In a soil with adequate organic matter content, it must be above 3%.
"These crops provide annual tons of biomass that significantly protect against erosion; they demand intense tillage only every eight years on average; producers recycle organic by-products as a fertilizer base; mills periodically redesign the collection cars; and cultivation has been sustainable for decades. So it would tend more to conserve than to physically degrade the soil, "added the professor.
The investigation consisted of two stages. A first one, where soils with more than one hundred years dedicated to the sowing of sugarcane were analyzed and a second phase in which these results were compared with those obtained in the analysis of soils with more than 50 years of use in various crops and forests secondary. "At this stage it was found that other crops and management leave the soil more susceptible to compaction," said the researcher.
(With information UN News Agency)
To consult
Acta Agronómica Magazine volume 60, No.3. Available at the Guillermo Ramos Núñez de Cenicaña Library.
