ABSTRACT


Luis Péña Mac-Caskill1
 
A field experiment was carried out to determine soil and water losses on a moderately eroded silt loam soil (Dystrandept) with 11% slope, and to test the erosion reducing effectiveness of three rates of wheat straw mulch. The trial was performed in a farm located 40 km to the east of Chillan. Three mulch rates (0 - 1 and 2 Ton/ha) were applied in a randomized block design.Six plots, 2 m across slope by 20 m long, were separated by wóod boards.Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was seeded and straw mulch was uniformly applied by hand. Structures designed to collect the run-off water and soil losses were set up at the bottom edge of each plot.
Soil erosion losses, extrapolated to 100 m long, were 35.0 - 8.8 and 4.1 Ton/ha/yearrespectively with 0 - 1 and 2 Ton of mulch/ha. The run-off was reduced by 24.5% inthe plots with 1 Ton/ha rate of residues and by 59.1% in those with 2 Ton/ha rateof straw mulch.
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1Ing. Agr., Departamento de Suelos, Escuela de Agronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile.