The Influence of Cropping System, Nitrogen Fertilizer and Location on Soil Chemical Properties

Abstract

The types of cropping systems and other management practices that increase the soil nutrients are very complex. In this way, the study was conducted to investigate the effect of cropping system, location and nitrogen fertilizer on soil nutrient content. A factorial experiment randomized in complete block design was conducted during 2011/12 and 2012/13 planting seasons. The experiment consisted of five management systems, namely, monocropping cowpea, Monocropping maize, rotational maize, rotational cowpea and intercropping maize-cowpea. The amount of 0 and 95; 0 and 92; 0 and 113.5 kg N ha-1 were applied on maize plots, while the amount of 0 and 20; 0 and 17; 0 and 23.5 kg N ha-1 were applied on cowpea plots at Potchefstroom, Rustenburg and Taung respectively. The laboratory analysis involved soil N-NO3, N-NH4, Bray 1-P and exchangeable K. Soil collected from cowpea plots planted on monocropping and rotational systems had significantly higher soil N-NO3 than soil collected at other cropping systems. Soil collected at maize plot planted on monocropping and intercropping systems had significantly higher Bray 1-P than soil collected on other cropping systems. It was revealed that cropping system and location play a pivotal role on soil chemical properties.