Rapid Soil Quality Assessment for Sustainable Agricultural Systems at Songco, Lantapan, Bukidnon, Philippines

This study was conducted to determine some physical and chemical properties of the soil and their relationship to spectroscopic-based (visible range) analytical methods while evaluating soil organic matter fractions and soil quality in degraded and non-degraded soils in a wide range of environments. Soil samples were collected from the different landscape positions of cultivated and noncultivated soils, and the latter from the same landscape positions but with different vegetation, at Songco, Lantapan, Bukidnon. The physical and chemical properties of the soils were determined at the SPAL, CMU, Musuan, Bukidnon while the metagenomic properties were determined at the Laboratory of the University of Missourri, Missourri, USA. Bulk density and air dry soil strength values of the soils from the cultivated areas were generally higher than those of the uncultivated areas. Also, soils at the summit generally had lower bulk density and soil strength values than the other landscape positions. Moreover, soils planted to camote (Ipomoea batatas) had higher bulk density and soil strength values compared to soils grown to pepper under the trees. Exchangeable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soils were generally higher in uncultivated areas than those of the cultivated areas. A similar trend was observed for the potassium permanganate ($KMnO_4$)-oxidizable organic C contents determined by spectroscopic method and the total C contents determined by the Walkley-Black method. The $KMnO_4$-oxidizable organic C contents determined by spectroscopic method and the total C contents determined by the Walkley-Black method were closely related ($r=0.631^{**}$). Hence, the former method shows promise in assessing soil quality as it is a rapid test, relatively low cost and can be distributed as a field kit either with a portable spectrometer or with a color chart.