Comparative Assessment of Fractional and Erosion Plot Methods for Quantifying Soil Erosion and Nutrient Loss Under Vetiver Grass Technology on Two Contrasting Slopes in Rainforest Agroecology

Suarau O. Oshunsanya, Hanqing Yu (), Ayodeji M. Odebode, Ini D. Edem, Tunde S. Oluwatuyi, Esther E. Imasuen and Dorcas E. Odeyinka
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Suarau O. Oshunsanya: Agricultural Clean Watershed Research Group, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
Hanqing Yu: Agricultural Clean Watershed Research Group, Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
Ayodeji M. Odebode: Department of Soil Resources Management, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200284, Nigeria
Ini D. Edem: Department of Soil Science and Land Management, University of Uyo, Uyo 520003, Nigeria
Tunde S. Oluwatuyi: Department of Soil Resources Management, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200284, Nigeria
Esther E. Imasuen: Department of Soil Science and Land Management, University of Benin, Benin 300283, Nigeria
Dorcas E. Odeyinka: Department of Soil Resources Management, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200284, Nigeria

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-17

Abstract: The erosion plot method (EPM) is the most accurate method for measuring total runoff and soil loss in the field, but it is expensive, time-consuming, and tedious to use, thereby limiting the scope of soil erosion research. Alternatively, the fractional method (FM) involves measuring a portion of total runoff and soil loss to estimate the total erosion. Although the FM may be easier to use in rainforest agroecology, it has not been evaluated under vetiver grass technology (VGT). Thus, a 2-year field study was conducted to verify the efficacy of the FM under VGT by comparing soil nutrient erosion between the FM and the EPM on two slopes (5% and 10%). Three piped drums (left, central, and right) were used to collect total runoff under the EPM, while only a central piped drum was used under the FM (usual practice). The FM’s runoff and soil loss values were similar to those under the EPM (R 2 = 0.98–0.99; p < 0.001). Runoff nutrients (R 2 = 0.90; p < 0.001) and eroded nutrients (R 2 = 0.97; p < 0.001) from the FM were highly similar to those of the EPM on the 5% slope. Similarly, runoff nutrients (R 2 = 0.86; p < 0.001) and eroded nutrients (R 2 = 0.95; p < 0.001) from the FM were strongly similar to those of the EPM on a 10% slope. The FM accounted for 92% of the total nutrient erosion measured by the EPM under VGT management. Thus, the FM will make research more efficient, cost-effective, and attractive, particularly in large-scale water erosion studies.

Keywords: runoff nutrient discharge; soil nutrient release; conventional technique; fractional approach; cost analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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