Investigating the Effect of Long-Term Sugarcane Cultivation on Some Soil Properties of Soils in Karoun Agro-industry Unit, Khuzestan Province, Iran

Abstract

The principal aim of the present research was investigation of the effect of long-term sugarcane cultivation on some chemical and physical properties of soil in Karoun Agro-industry Unit in Shoushtar city, Iran. The study was conducted in a factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with two field factors at 8 levels and three depths in three replications. Soil samples were collected and some of their physical (e.g., bulk density) and chemical (e.g., pH, EC, soil available phosphorus, organic carbon, soluble sodium and available potassium) Features9 were measured. Results revealed that land use change and long-term sugarcane cultivation reduced electrical conductivity, the amount of soluble sodium and available potassium contents of soil in different depths, while caused increasing the percentage of organic matter and available soil phosphorous. However, at similar experimental conditions, no significant changes were observed in soil pH. The soil bulk density contents in farms under continuous cultivation of sugarcane, was more than the control field and HARZA. Moreover, soil exchangeable potassium was identified as a sensitive indicator of long-term sugarcane cultivation.