Effect of Initial Land Preparation Methods on Selected Soil Physical Properties in Afram Plains, Ghana

Simple item page
dc.contributorMahama, A.A.
dc.contributor.advisorAbenney- Mickson, S.
dc.contributor.advisorUniversity of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Engineering, Department of Agricultural Engineering
dc.contributor.authorQuaye, D.N.D.
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-31T14:27:39Z
dc.date.accessioned2017-10-13T17:35:15Z
dc.date.available2015-12-31T14:27:39Z
dc.date.available2017-10-13T17:35:15Z
dc.date.issued2014-06
dc.descriptionThesis (MPhil) - University of Ghana, 2014
dc.description.abstractThe objective of the study was to determine the most appropriate methods of initial land preparations in Afram Plains based on their effect on selected soil physical properties such as dry bulk density, porosity, hydraulic conductivity and available water content. The study also sought to estimate the cost of preparing farm lands in the Afram Plains. The study was conducted in Odumesua in the Afram Plains District sampling soil from fields prepared with three identified and categorized systems of land preparations. These were Slash and Burnt cleared land with no-tillage (SBNT), manually cleared land with conventional tillage (MCT) and bulldozed land with conventional tillage (BCT). The soil properties were determined at 0-40cm depths at intervals of 10 cm for analysis. Financial cost of these land preparation methods was also estimated from machinery input cost derivatives and information gathered from local farmers. Dry bulk density, porosity and hydraulic conductivity were significantly (at p ≤ 0.005 level) affected by the land preparations methods. At different depths of sampling, hydraulic conductivity was not significantly (at p ≤ 0.005 level) affected. However, available water content was not significantly affected by both factors (land preparation methods and depth of sampling). Dry bulk density at 1.5g/cm3 reduced by 3% and 16% in MCT and BCT respectively compared with the UNCULTIVATED and SBNT. The results showed that agricultural lands prepared by bulldozing or stumps excavation and conventional tillage operations (BCT) was most appropriate using fertile agricultural soil indicators of soil physical properties. The results also indicated that it costs three times more in preparing lands employing heavy tractors like the bulldozer compared to the traditional methods of using human labour with simple toolsen_US
dc.format.extentxii, 83p, ill.
dc.identifier.urihttp://197.255.68.203/handle/123456789/7399
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Ghanaen_US
dc.rights.holderUniversity of Ghana
dc.subjectLand Preparation Methods
dc.subjectSoil Physical Properties
dc.subjectFertile Agricultural Soil
dc.subjectLand Tilling
dc.titleEffect of Initial Land Preparation Methods on Selected Soil Physical Properties in Afram Plains, Ghanaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Quaye Duke Nii Darko _Effect of Initial Land Preparation Methods on Selected Soil Physical Properties in Afram Plains, Ghana_2014.pdf
Size:
2.81 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.82 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
0 B
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download

Collections

Department of Agricultural Engineering