02618naa a2200181 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000180006024501040007826000090018252018240019165000170201570000170203270000140204970000260206370000260208977303210211513148102015-09-18       2008    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aTONDOH, J. E.  aShort-term legume cover crop fallows improve soil quality in humid savanna areas of Côte d'Ivoire.  c2008  aAlthough many studies have emphasized the prominent role of legume cover crops in soil fertility and maize yield increase in sub saharian Africa, a threshold period for significant soil quality replenishment, which is a crucial indicator of sustainable agriculture, is not clearly konwn. The study aims at identifying indicators of rapid changes of soil quality, in the context of agronomic valorisation of humid savannas areas of Côte d?Ivoire. Soil chemical and biological parameters were evaluated at 6 and 12 months following legume cover crops (Mucuna pruriens, Lablab purpureus, Pueraria phaseloides) establishment and continuous maize cropping in humid savanna areas of Côte d?Ivoire. A principal component analysis (ACP) showed a significant (P&lt0.001) segregation within treatments at 6 and 12 months after experimental set-up. Cation exchange capacity, microbial biomass carbon, exchangeable bases, and Ca content were found to be indicative of differences between treatments during the first 6 months of trial. More soil variables (microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass carbon/organic carbon ratio, earthworm density, organic carbon, total N, carbon mineralization, Mg content and exchangeable bases) were responsible of the segregation between legume cover crops and continuous maize cropping, with or without fertilizer treatments, after 12 months. The study also revealed the effectiveness of legume cover crops in improving short-term soil quality parameters. Moreover, the significant increase in earthworm density, under legume treatments on the one hand, and the significant correlation with some variable (total polyphenols, Ca and K contents) and index (N/P ratio) of plant residues quality on the other hand, showed the importance of this organisms as potential indicators of soil quality.  asoil quality1 aKONÉ, A. W.1 aANGUI, P.1 aBERNARHD-REVERSAT, F.1 aLORANGER-MERCIRIS, G.  tIn: INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON SOIL ZOOLOGY, 15; INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON APTERYGOTA, 12., 2008, Curitiba. Biodiversity, conservation and sustainabele management of soil animal: abstracts. Colombo: Embrapa Florestas. Editors: George Gardner Brown; Klaus Dieter Sautter; Renato Marques; Amarildo Pasini. 1 CD-ROM.