STUDYING EFFECT OF THE RAISED-BED AGES ON SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES CULTIVATED DURIAN IN MEKONG DELTA

Abstract

The ages of raised-bed soil may affect soil physical properties. The current work aimed to evaluate of three different ages of raised-bed soils (12, 20, 31 years old) on soil physical characteristics cultivated durian in the Vietnamese Mekong delta. The parameters such as soil bulk density (BD), soil compaction (SC), field capacity, wilting point and available water holding capacity (AWHC) were measured from 0 cm to 200 cm soil depths at three soil profiles. The results indicated that the ages of raised-bed soil affected significantly soil BD and SC. Particularly, old raised-bed soil had the values of BD and SC was higher than that in young raised-bed soil. In addition, plant cultivation during long term might reduce soil organic matter content, resulting in decrease AWHC. Therefore, we recommend that farmers should use soil conservation practices such as cover cropping or mulching their orchards. These measurements would improve soil porosity and microbial community, thereby reducing soil compaction in the surface of raised-bed soil.