Análisis de la calidad ambiental del suelo de la plantación de palma africana (Elaeis guineensis) en la parroquia San Carlos, cantón Joya de los Sachas, provincia de Orellana.

Abstract

In the present research the environmental quality of the soil of the plantation of African palm (Elaeis guineensis) was analyzed in the San Carlos parish, canton Joya de los Sachas, Orellana province. For this a baseline was made on the management of the plantation. The methodology developed by the National Autonomous Institute for Agricultural Research (INIAP) was used to collect the soil samples. In total, two composite samples were obtained, one from the soil of the plantation and another from a non- intervened soil (native forest). A physicochemical analysis of the samples was performed, based on the results obtain, the environmental quality of the soil was analyzed according to the methodology to determine physical and chemical parameters. It was determined that the activities implemented in the management of the crop such as cleaning or fertilization have caused the soil to be in a process of degradation, as a result of the alteration of the natural dynamic of the forest that used to be there. The environmental quality of the physicochemical parameters analyzed varied from high to low between the untouched forest floor and the African palm plantation. The parameters that were affected are the organic matter of appreciable (5.2%) to very deficient (0.53%), the pH from neutral (7.1) to moderately acid (5.6) and the CIC from a normal high rate (15.48) to low (8.7). The basic infiltration of the intervened soil (19.01 mm/hr) increased in relation to that registered for the untouched soil (16.05mm/hr) due to decrease in the quality of the texture and structure. The general evaluation showed the quality of the soil has diminished notably, going from high quality (0.71) to a moderate quality (0.43) in the last twelve years that the plantation has been implement. This reflects the importance of parameters such as organic matter, pH and cation exchange capacity in the soil.