ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED SOIL PROPERTIES UNDER DIFFERENT LAND USE IN THE DERIVED SAVANNAH OF IGBOORA

Abstract

Globally, efforts are being made to identify land use types that could potentially improve carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change and global warming and ensure sustainable agriculture. The study characterize the soils under different cultivations and assesses the effects of different land use systems on selected soil morphology and physicochemical properties in Igboora. Five land use systems (Cassava, Maize, Maize interplanted with cassava, fallow land and orchard plot) were identified. Twenty-five soil samples were collected from five profile at 0–20, 20 – 35, 35 – 65, 65 – 95, 95 – 125cm depth. Ten soil morphology, and physicochemical properties were measured. Soil colour varied along soil depth, while soil consistence (wet) showed various grades of stickiness and plasticity, the soil reactions of the pedons were slightly acidic while soil total carbon, total nitrogen, and available phosphorous showed increasing trend with depth of pedon across the land uses, ranging from 0.23 – 5.4% suggesting that Organic Carbon, Total Nitrogen and Available Phosphorus and other properties were affected by the land uses. Land use has detrimental effects on soil properties in Igboora, indicating that the conditions of cassava interplant with maize soils are becoming worse than other for land uses. Adopting integrated soil fertility, management, applying organic fertilizer should preserve the existing conditions and increase soil quality.