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Influence of Different Stands of Sal ( Shorea Robusta C. F. Gaertn.) Forest of Bangladesh on Soil Health

Mohammad Kamrul Hasan
Department of Agroforestry, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Md. Bayeazid Mamun
Department of Agroforestry, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study was conducted in Dukhula sadar and Gasabari forest range under Madhupur Sal Forest of Bangladesh to determine the soil nutrient composition and isolation of fungi with varying stands. Three stands viz. pure sal, plantation and mixed were considered as treatment of the study. A quadrate sample plot of 10×10 m 2 size was measured to collect soil samples for both chemical analysis and fungi isolation. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter content, total N, available P, exchangeable K, available S, fungal abundance and colony character (cm) were determined to achieve the objective of the study. The results revealed that soil pH and electrical conductivity were highest (6.61 and 21.10µS/cm) in mixed stand and lowest (6.38 and 10.75µS/cm) in pure stand. Organic matter content and total N were highest (2.24 and 0.145%) in plantation stand and lowest (1.65 and 0.112%) in mixed and pure stand, respectively. Available P, exchangeable K and available S were highest (3.65, 98.66 and 17.53ppm) in pure stand and lowest (1.97, 79.49 and 10.25ppm) in plantation stand. In addition, four fungal genera Sclerotium, Rhizoctonia, Pythium and Verticillium were identified in the study area soils. The highest fungal population (entire genus except Verticillium) (colony number/g soil) was found in mixed stand while it was found lowest in pure (Sclerotium ) and plantation stand (Rhizoctonia and Pythium ). There was no significant variation in colony diameter of the fungi among the treatments. Therefore, it can be concluded that better soil health was maintained in natural forest rather than plantation forest.

Keywords: Soil health, Sal forests, Chemical properties, Fungi

Location: Madhupur Sal Forest of Tangail district.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Sal, Soil fertility

Objectives:

To characterize the nutritional composition and isolation of major fungi present in soils of Madhupur Sal forest of Bangladesh with varying stands.

Methodology:

The study was conducted in Dukhula sadar and Gasabari forest range under Madhupur Sal Forest of Tangail district. The soils of the areas are highly oxidized reddish brown clay with moderate to strong acidic reaction. Sal ( Shorea robusta ) is the dominant species of this forest and usually it forms 75% to 25% of the upper canopy in the natural habitat. Besides, other species like mixture of Sal (Shorea robusta ), Koroi ( Albizzia spp.), Azuli ( Dillenia pentagyna), Sonalu (Cassia fistula ), Bohera ( Terminalia bellirica), Haritaki ( Terminalia chebula), Kanchan ( Bauhinia acuminata ), Jarul ( Lagerstroemia speciosa ), Jam ( Syzygium spp.), etc. are grown in this forest. Presently participatory forestry programs are being implemented here under the social forestry initiatives with Acacia spp. and Eucalyptus spp. According to the above information and species distribution, three stands were distinguished from the selected forest ranges which were considered as treatments of the study. These are: T₁ = Pure stand (including Shorea robusta ) T₂ = Plantation stand ((including Acacia spp., Eucalyptus spp.) T₃ = Mixed stand (including Shorea robusta, Albizzia spp., Dillenia pentagyna, Cassia fistula, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia chebula, Bauhinia acuminata, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Syzygium spp., etc.). Within the above mentioned stands, a 10×10 m² quadrate plot with four replications following random sampling was made for each stands of the selected fore stranges in Madhupur Sal forest to collect soil sample. From each quadrate plots, five soil cores was taken with an auger at 0-15 cm depth randomly. A total of 20 soil cores were collected from four replicated plot s for each stand. Then the collected soil cores from the same plot were well mixed to make one composite sample. Each sample was placed in a sterile plastic bag, sealed and transported to the laboratory. All soils were air dried and grounded and passed through a 2.0 mm sieve and stored at 4 ºC until the chemical analysis was conducted. For fungal isolation same procedure was followed to collect soil cores from each quadrate plots. Then the collected soil cores were placed plot wise in a sterile polybag, wrapping with brown paper, sealed and carefully transported to the laboratory and stored at 4 ºC until the isolation was started.The collected data were tabulated and analyzed through a standard computer package statistical procedure MSTAT-C. Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was used to rank the results of soil samples analysis.

Source of Information: Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 2, No. 1, April 2015: 17-25

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

From this experiment it can be concluded that the overall nutrient content was higher in pure and mixed stands compare to plantation stand of Madhupur Sal forests. Similarly total fungal population was higher in pure and mixed stands characterized as less undisturbed forest sites rather than highly disturbed plantation stand. The higher amount of soil nutrients and fungal population in the pure forest and mixed forest were due partly to reduction in the loss of top soil and partly to the increased supply of nutrients in the form of leaf litter and biomass from the larger number of trees and their saplings rather than plantation stand.

Knowledge Management: Journal