Effect of Chomo Grass (<i>Brachiariahumidicola</i>) and Vetiver Grass (<i>Vetiveriazizanioides</i>) on Selected Soil Properties in Mana Sibu District, Western Ethiopia

Biological SWC practices of chomo grass, vetiver grass are the most productive, easy to accept and effective at reducing soil erosion and increasing soil organic matter. The objective of this research was to evaluate their effect on some selected soil physicochemical properties in Mana Sibu area. The land treated with chomo grass, vetiver grass, and adjacent untreated lands, as well as the three age groups of these grasses, young (0-10), middle (10-20), and old (20-30) years were considered. A total of 27 soil samples were collected from the subsurface of 0–20 cm soil depth in a 'zigzag' design because of vetiver strips impractical for means. The gathered soil samples were evaluated using laboratory procedures, and the general linear model included a total of 8 variables. The dry sieving analysis was carried out to separate the soil aggregate stability. Chomo and vetiver grasses effect on soil physicochemical properties, the clay soil texture was statistically highly significant at p < 0.001 following the treatments and at p < 0.01 along with age categories, while silt was not significant. The highest mean value of clay (72.67%) in the chomo grass treatment and age category (73%). The soil aggregate stability was shown to have statistical significance at p< 0.01 in the soil dry aggregate stable size fractions of > 2 mm, 0.075-0.425 mm, and 0.075 mm. Results for SOC were statistically significant at p< 0.05, while TN was at p < 0.05, soil PH at P < 0.01, and CEC at p <0.01.