The effect of burning bush at different hours after slashing on selected soil chemical properties.

Abstract

Bush burning in Africa and in fact major areas of the tropical world has been an age long practice for land clearing and preparation. Although the negative effects of bush burning has been recognised it still appears to be the cheapest means of land clearing to which an acceptable alternative has not been found. The study looked into burning the bush at different tune after slashing. The effects of the time difference on the soil chemical properties were then investigated. Burning the bush increased the soil Ph, available exchangeable cations and phosphorus. However, the amount of soil organic matter and total nitrogen content was significantly increased.

The study suggests that if bush burning must be done at all, it should occur twenty-four hours afterr slashing.

Keywords: Bush burning, Slashing, Soil Chemical Properties.