Impact of Various Soil Conservation Practices on Soil. Fertility and Moisture Conservation

Abstract

Soil rosion is one of the rn)st serious problems facing Indian agriculture and it is estimated that about 25% of the total area is affected by erosion. In soil erosion, apart from soil, plant nutrients are also washed as a result the depletion of soil fertility occurs. Soil erosion is prevented by the adoption of suitable soil conservation practices namely contour ploughing, contour cultivation, contour bunding, strip cropping, terracing and levelling etc. I- depending on topography. Ingeneral, soil conservation practices have been found to increase the yields (Khan, 1959). However, very little quantitative data is available on soil fertility as affected by various soil conservation practices under Indian conditions. As such it was, (here- fore, considered worthwhile to study the impact of coatoir banding, levelling and terracing on soil fertility status and moisture conservation.