Soil Characterization And Land Suitability Evaluation

Soil Characterization And Land Suitability Evaluation

Abstract

The potential for growing oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), yams (Dioscorea spp. ), cassava (Manihot esculenta), and maize (Zea mays) on the area in Anuka, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State in southeast Nigeria, was assessed. Data were gathered through field research and laboratory examinations. Six pedons were excavated and recorded: two for yam and cassava farms, one each for maize and oil palm fields. These pendons were excavated to serve as sampling points. Additionally, auger samples were consciously taken from the sampling units at depths of 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm. This was done to look into the distribution of nutrients in the area. Following the description of the profile, soil samples were taken from the pedogenetic strata of the pedons, processed, and examined. P01 stood for “cassava field,” P02 and P03 for “maize fields,” P04 for “yam field,” and P05 and P06 for “oil palm fields” in the pedons. The soils’ textural classes ranged from clay loam to clay loam to sandy clay loam, but sandy clay loam is by far the most prevalent. The overall findings revealed that the soils are acidic, often low in phosphorus, with organic matter ranging from 0.42 to 4.31% and medium (>2.0%) for epipedons. Low exchangeable Ca (3.2 cmol kg-1), low to medium exchangeable Mg (0.2 – 3.2 cmol kg? 1-1-1), extremely low exchangeable Na (0.70 cmol kg), and insufficient exchangeable K (2.0 cmol kg) are the most common exchangeable bases. (0.042% N 0.196%) The total nitrogen content is very low to very low. The soils were classified as Typic Dystrustults (P01, P03, P04, P05, and P06) and Aquic Argiustults (P02) in accordance with FAO/UNESCO’s Acrisols (Soil Taxonomy). According to both parametric and non-parametric techniques of suitability evaluation, there is currently no extremely suitable (S1) soil unit for maize, cassava, and yam agriculture, even when climate and topography are optimal or close to optimal. The soil units, though.

Chapiter 1

Introduction

The utilization of the land for agricultural production must take into account its potential for soil productivity optimization and sustainability (Adeboye, 1994). This is especially relevant in the developing world, where the usage of a piece of land is frequently not in line with its potential, at a time when precision farming is becoming more widely accepted (Senjobi, 2001).

Lack of understanding and evaluation of a parcel of land’s suitability for agricultural output is a serious issue for Nigeria’s agricultural growth. Poor farm management practices lead to low yields, unnecessarily high production costs, and poor yields (Aderonke and Gbadegesin, 2013). To evaluate the potentials and limitations of a given land parcel for agricultural uses, a scientific method of land appraisal is necessary (Rositer, 1996). The understanding of soil restrictions resulting from reports on land evaluation attempts to alleviate such restrictions before to or during the cropping season (Lin et al., 2005). Therefore, a scientific evaluation (survey/characterization) of soil as the primary agricultural medium is required. The performance evaluation is based on the compatibility between the characteristics of various land units in a given area and the demands of present or projected land usage types. This evaluation leads to a classification of lands according to their suitability for growing a particular crop or group of crops (Ezeaku, 2011).

Characterizing the soils in a given location for a certain land use type is part of the soil suitability evaluation process. A piece of land’s appropriateness is determined by its inherent capacity to support a certain land use, such as rain-fed agriculture, the raising of animals, forestry, etc. Predicting a land unit’s innate ability to support a certain land is the primary goal of land evaluation.