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2025 Vol.58, Issue 4 Preview Page

Original research article

Primary drivers of soil loss under conventional potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivation in slope lysimeters of highland agriculture
Mavis Badu rempong12†
,
Yang-Min Kim3†
,
Gye-Ryeong Bak3
,
Jeong-Tae Lee4*
1Post-Doctoral Fellow, Highland Agriculture Research Institute, National Institute of Crop and Food Science, RDA, Pyeongchang 25342, Korea
2Assistant Professor, School of Agriculture and Food Science, ADA University, Baku AZ1008, Azerbaijan
3Research Scientist, Highland Agriculture Research Institute, National Institute of Crop and Food Science, RDA, Pyeongchang 25342, Korea
4Senior Research Scientist, Crop Environment Research Division, National Institute of Crop and Food Science, RDA, Wanju 55365, Korea
*Corresponding Author
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
30 November 2025. pp. 485-500
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Abstract

Soil loss is a major concern in South Korea’s highland cropping systems due to high slope gradients. This study quantified soil loss from conventionally cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and bare soil lysimeters at 2%, 7%, and 15% slopes and assessed the primary drivers of soil loss over three growing seasons (2021, 2023, 2024) in Gangwon’s highland agriculture systems. Soil loss increased consistently with slope, showing stronger correlations with gradient (r = 0.32 - 0.79) than with rainfall intensity or runoff volume. Under potato cultivation, mean seasonal soil losses ranged from 1 - 3 Mg ha-1 (2% slope) to 11 - 30 Mg ha-1 (15% slope). In bare lysimeters, losses were far greater, ranging from 3 - 9 Mg ha-1 (2% slope) to 146 - 516 Mg ha-1 (15% slope). The presence of potato vegetation reduced mean seasonal soil loss by -92% compared to bare soil. Cover management factors (C-factors) for potato averaged 0.22 during the growing season, with lower values at steeper slopes (example 0.07 at 15%), indicating better erosion protection under higher slope gradients where bare soil losses were disproportionately large. These findings show that conventionally cultivated potato substantially reduces erosion compared to bare soil, especially on steep slopes, though substantial losses still occur during early growth stages with minimal canopy cover. Further integration of conservation practices such as mulching, contour planting, or cover cropping is recommended to achieve even lower C-factors and enhance long-term soil protection in highland potato systems.

Cover management factors of conventionally cultivated potato across 2, 7 and 15% slope gradients, over three growing seasons in Gangwon’s highland agriculture systems.
Slope gradient 2021 2023 2024
2% 0.76 0.33 0.40
7% 0.07 0.06 0.17
15% 0.10 0.06 0.07
Keywords
Cover management factor
Runoff dynamics
Slope gradient
Soil erosion
Vegetative cover
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Information
  • Publisher :Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국토양비료학회
  • Journal Title :Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국토양비료학회 학회지
  • Volume : 58
  • No :4
  • Pages :485-500
  • Received Date : 2025-09-03
  • Revised Date : 2025-10-30
  • Accepted Date : 2025-10-30
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2025.58.4.485
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