Land management and crop cover effect on soil erosion in the humid lowlands of Beles River Sub-Basin, North-Western Ethiopia

<p>Soil erosion is the most devastating environmental crisis in Ethiopia where loss of soil from cultivated land almost seven times tolerable limit; specifically, Nitisol very susceptible to erosion. To investigate response management and cropping practices on sediment loss, a field experiment was conducted under natural environment Pawi area. Nine treatments combining two tillage methods (zero conventional), four crop covers (continuous maize, continuous soya bean, rotated maize bean intercrop), bare fallow as control were laid out randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The result showed that cover significantly affect loss. Cultivation crops without disturbance full residue retention reduced by 6%, 36%, 44% intercropping, respectively. Similarly, reduces 34% zero management. Compared conventionally managed crops, concentration also 14%, 17%, 31%, tillage, intercropping Except for zero-tilled seasonal above level (2-10 t ha<sup>-</sup><sup>1</sup>). This indicates there need other like physical agronomic conservation lower rates below limit. Generally, greater an appropriate approach reduce improving hydrological properties negatively affecting grain yield. understand quantify long-term impact health productivity study needed this based one-year data years permanent plots.</p>