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Agro-ecology, resource endowment and indigenous knowledge interactions modulate soil fertility in mixed farming systems in central and western Ethiopia
Open Access Article; Published online: 14 Feb 2021Siteâspecific soil fertility management requires a fundamental understanding of factors that modulate soil fertility variability in the local context. To verify this assumption, this study hypothesized that soil fertility variability across two regions in Central and Western Ethiopia is determined by interârelated effects of agroâecological zones and farmersâ resource endowment (âwealthyâ versus âpoorâ farmers). Midâinfrared spectroscopy coupled to partial least squares regression (midDRIFTSâPLSR) and wetâlaboratory analyses were used to assess the soil fertility (soil pH, total soil carbon [TC] and nitrogen [TN], plantâavailable phosphorous [Pav] and potassium [Kav]) across four agroâecological zones: âHighâDegaâ (HD), âDegaâ (D), âWeinaâDegaâ (WD) and âKolaâ (K). MidDRIFTS peak area analysis of spectral frequencies (2,930 [aliphatic CâH], 1,620 [aromatic C = C], 1,159 [CâO polyâalcoholic and ether groups] cmâ1) was applied to characterize soil organic carbon (SOC) quality and to calculate the SOC stability index (1,620:2,930). Higher TC in HD, as well as higher TN and Kav contents in K were found in fields of wealthy compared with poor farmers. Resource endowment dependent soil fertility management options revealed SOC of higher quality in wealthy compared with poor farms in D. Agroâecological zones distinctions contributed to these soil fertility differences. Farmers distinguished visually fertile and less fertile fields based on soil colour. Higher pH in K and WD as well as Pav in K and HD were found in fertile (brown/black) than less fertile (red) soils. To conclude, tailorâmade soil fertility management in the local context must consider agroâecological zones and resource endowment interactions along with farmersâ indigenous knowledge