ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the importance of soil restorative cover crops on soil quality. Soil chemical analyses of worm casts were compared with analyses of surface soil from each plot. Results of analyses of soil sampled in 1981 were compared with results of earthworm casts also collected in 1981, and with that of soil sampled in 1976. In 1978, all runoff plots were sown to Mucuna for soil restoration. Ecologic reasons are restoring degraded lands improving the quality of surface and ground waters, improving soil C pool leading to increase in soil quality and contributing to mitigating the greenhouse effect, and enhancement of the aesthetic value of the land. Soils of the experimental site are classified as Alfisols according to the United States Department of Agriculture system and Ferric Luvisols in the Food and Agriculture Organization system. Field experiments were conducted at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria, from 1978 through 1981.
