Tuesday, 11 July 2006 - 2:05 PM
46-3

Fallow Species to Restore Degraded Land in Indonesia.

Iin Purwati Handayani, Priyono Prawito, and Zainal Muktamar. University of Bengkulu, Jalan Pepaya 2 no. 139 Panorama, Bengkulu, 38226, Indonesia

The studies were performed to evaluate the potential and the role of natural fallow species as related to soil quality improvement in degraded ecosystems and to identify promising natural fallow species that can act as soil restorers in stressed environment. Ten fallow species, Stachytarpheta jamaicencis, S.indica,Mikania micrantha, Mimosa invisa, Austroeupotarium inulaefolium, Chromolaena odorata, Melastoma malabathricum, Saccharum spontaneum, Imperata cylindrica and Wedelia trilobata were evaluated for their potential contribution to soil fertility restoration after 3 years of fallow. Results indicated that Chromolaena odorata and Wedelia trilobata fallow had promising effects on pool soil carbon, pool soil nitrogen and soil structure in the low altitude sites, while Austroeupotarium, Mimosa invisa and Mikania micrantha improved soil quality in the high altitude sites. The order of magnitude of tolerance of stress among the three species was : M.malabathricum > C.odorata > W.trilobata. In most cases, W.trilobata and C.odorata were to be the most promising natural fallow species to enhance soil quality improvement during three years of fallow.


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