Summary

Soil Quality and Suitability for Culture of Some Medicinal Plants

in Cam Thuy District, Thanh Hoa Province

Cam Thuy is a mountainous district in Thanh Hoa province with more than 80% of population being ethnic minorities. They are almost living on income from forest. Medicinal plants in forest are considered currently as “an hunger eliminating and poverty reducing plant” for people living in mountainous areas.

A survey and soil evaluation were done in 10 villages in Cam Thuy district, Thanh Hoa province. Sloping land and environment in Cam Thuy is strongly affected by the activities in agro-forestry production. “Slashing and burning plants for cereal culture deteriorate”  the soil fertility and environment. There are 8 main soil groups, of which, ferasols derived from metamorphic and sedimentary stones are dominant. Soils are characterized by acidity, in poor organic matter and total nitrogen. Phosphorus and potassium contents in soil range from low to adequate level. Soils poorly absorb exchangeablecation.

Soil analysis that upland soils in Cam thuy were lightly to strongly acidic soils, consisting of 98 % samples. Total organic carbon (OC) and N, P and K contents range from adequate to low level. Exchangeable cation content such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, CEC is low.

Soil quatity is classified through 98% samples in group 3 for pH, 41% samples in level 1 and 50% in level 2 for OC; 73.5% in level 2 and 25.5% samples in level 1 for N; low available P with 73.5% samples in level 3. Available potasium ranges from low to adequate with 56.1% samples  in level 3 and 40.,8% in level 2.

Due to steep topography, soil acidity, irrigation and transport conditions, land suitability for plant growth is very limited. Land evaluation showed that upland soils in Cam Thuy are mostly suitable for medicinal plants at grade S2 and S3.

Keywords: Fertility, dry soil, soil evaluation, medicinal plants.