RESEARCH ON SOIL QUALITY FOR ACACIA PLANTING IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS IN TAY SON DISTRICT, BINH DINH PROVINCE

Abstract

Integrating soil quality control into acacia cultivation in mountainous regions represents a critical strategy for sustainable agriculture. This study employed Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to evaluate soil quality in the acacia-planted hilly region of Tay Son district, Binh Dinh province, based on 12 composite soil samples and 7 selected indicators (bulk density, particle density, sand content, silt content, pH, EC, and TOC). PCA aided in reducing data redundancy and determining relative weights (Wi) along with soil indices (Si) to calculate the Soil Quality Index (SQI). The results indicated that 2 principal components explained 68.7% of the data variability, and identified 2 representative indicators: % sand and NH₄⁺. The majority of the study area exhibited medium soil quality (83%). The Soil Quality Index (SQI) has been identified as a powerful tool to help manage agriculture effectively and sustainably, contributing to improving the lives of local farmers.