Soil erosion, water runoff and their control on steep slopes in Sumatra

Abstract

The use of bench terraces, grass bunds and grass plus Gliricidia sepium bunds with mulch resulted in significant (P<0.05) reductions in soil loss and water runoff in comparison with conventional cultivation methods on steep hillside farms in Sumatra. No significant differences in soil erosion rates were observed between conservation treatments. These results have important implications for soil conservation and watershed management because agronomic conservation measures require less capital and labour to construct and maintain than bench terraces.