Crop Diversification Improves pH in Acidic Soils

ABSTRACTSoil acidification has become a major challenge for sustainable crop production in the subsistence farming systems of developing countries. Diversified cropping may reduce soil acidity and improve agricultural sustainability. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of crop diversification on soil acidity in the subsistence farming systems of the mountains and plains of Nepal. We monitored soil pH of 180 sites that included low-diversity farms (LDFs), high-diversity farms (HDFs), and natural forest in mountains of Nuwakot and plains of Chitwan, Nepal. Soils were more acidic in Nuwakot than in Chitwan. The soil pH in HDFs with a value of 5.19 (Chitwan) and 4.03 (Nuwakot) was significantly higher than in LDFs and forests. Soil pH was lowest (4.67) in LDFs in Chitwan and in forest (3.32) in Nuwakot. Crop diversification can potentially improve the sustainability of subsistence farming systems through improvement in pH of the acidic soils.