Erosive processes in Andisols cultivated with onion (<i>Allium cepa</i> L.): Contribution of sediment adhered to the bulb to soil and nutrient loss

Abstract

Introduction. Soil loss is a natural and complex process that can be exacerbated by climatic conditions and agricultural practices such as tillage. One form of soil loss (which is not well-known) occurs due to sediment adhered to the product at harvest time, which is permanently lost from the fields. Quantifying this sediment is an additional factor to soil loss by erosion and the potential loss of nutrients from farmlands. Objective. To quantify the soil loss due to crop harvesting (SLCH) in two onion (Allium cepa L.) crop cycles under three mechanized tillage implements. Materials and methods. Field plots (240 m² each) were established following a complete randomized block design, and further planted with onion. Sediment adhered to the surface of the bulbs at the time of harvest was collected, and SLCH values were estimated for the evaluated plots. Fertility analyses (chemical analysis extracted in KCl-Olsen and total C/N) were conducted on the obtained sediments to calculate the loss of nutrients and organic matter due to harvesting activities. Results and discussion. They were quantified sediment values between 594.71 ± 471.93 and 1083.94 ± 78.45 kg ha^-1 cycle^-1 that are irreversibly lost from the onion fields. Additionally, up to 3.04 ± 0.27 kg of N, 0.15 ± 0.02 kg of P, and 1.16 ± 0.12 kg of K per hectare per cycle can be lost. Conclusions. The results obtained are pioneering in the study of erosion and soil loss due to crop harvesting in Costa Rica and can serve as a reference for future soil management and conservation studies.