SOIL EROSION AND RUNOFF NUTRIENT LOSSES AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT CROPPING SYSTEMS IN SICILY

In Mediterranean environment the high intensity of autumnal rains determines high level of soil erosion losses in agricultural field reducing the soil fertility in the long run. In Sicily region this phenomenon have been emphasised by the crop management and by the orography of the territory. In order to study the influence of different cropping systems to soil erosion a ten years research was carried in a hilly area of the Sicily island using experimental plots equipped to determine surface runoff and soil losses.The cropping systems with perennial crops allowed to keep low the soil loss, while annual crop rotation determined a high amount of soil loss. Sod seeding showed promising results also for annual crop rotations.