Influence of different land-use types on selected soil properties related to soil fertility in A Luoi District, Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam

Land use type affects the physicochemical properties of soil. The value of OM and TN is high in acacia soils. Strong acidity of soil is considered a serious constraint for agriculture. Suitable cash crops are acacia, cassava, banana, rice and maize.Soil fertility is affected by land-use types and land management, which exacerbates soil erosion and various other forms of soil degradation in the mountainous regions of Vietnam. This study was conducted in A Luoi District, Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam to identify the effects of land-use types on specific soil physicochemical characteristics related to soil fertility. Soil physicochemical properties, such as organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP), and K+ were significantly affected by land-use type. The results showed that the soils were sandy in rice but clay loam for acacia and cassava. The mean bulk density value of acacia soil was significantly greater than that of other soils. TN were higher in the acacia soils than those in the rice, maize, and banana soils. The OM content was significantly higher in the acacia, cassava, and banana soils than those in the rice and maize soils. The mean of exchangeable K+ in the rice soil was higher compared to those in other soils and was affected by land-use type. The high exchangeable acidity content in the soils was probably due to intensive precipitation. However, both land use type and management did not affect the CEC value. Overall, the inappropriate land use caused the disturbance of soil physicochemical properties, indicating that the conditions of rice and maize soils are becoming worse than acacia soils. Therefore, lowering the intensity of cultivation, adopting incorporated soil fertility management, and applying organic fertilizer should preserve the existing conditions and enhance soil properties.