Abstract

This research aimed at assessing the morphological and physico-chemical characteristics of upland soils in Kogi State of Nigeria. The research adopted a free soil survey technique whereby four pedons (Okura-P, Egume-P, Acharu-P and Ankpa-P) represented by four (4) soil profile pits were used for the study. Soil samples were carefully collected from delineated soil horizons for laboratory physical and chemical analyses. The morphological descriptions of the soil profiles followed the standard of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The results showed dominant dull reddish brown (2.5YR4/4, 5YR4/3) in the surface and reddish brown, (2.5YR4/6), a reddish brown (2.5YR 5/8, 5YR4/8) and red (10R4/8) in the subsurface soils, while the structure of the subsurface soils varied mainly between sub-angular and angular blocky structure. Sand fraction of the soils is mostly coarse with ranges of 500 to 670 g kg-1 at the surface and 330 to 660 g kg-1 in the sub-surface soils. The bulk density of the soils generally increased down the profiles with a mean sub-surface value of 1.82 g cm-3, being higher than the surface mean value (1.74 g cm-3). The pH value of the soils is higher at the surface soils with a mean value of 5.3 than in the sub-surface soils with a mean value of 4.9, while the percentage base saturation and aluminium saturation percentage had surface mean values of 30 and 4% and subsurface mean value of 35and 23% respectively. The test for coefficient of variation showed varying percentages across the pedons with saturated hydraulic conductivity scoring the highest (92%) in the subsurface soils. The fertility of these soils could be improved with addition of organic matter enrichment sources.

Keywords:

Upland, Pedon, Soil Structure, Soil texture, Base saturation, Cation exchange.

References:

1) Agbede, O.O. (2009), Understanding Soil and Plant Nutrition. First edition: Salman Press and Company Nigeria Limited Keffi, Nasarawa State Pp 32-40.

2) Ahn, P.M. (1979). West African Soils. Oxford University Press, London. pp332.

3) Akamigbo, F. O. R. (1999). Influence of land use on properties of the agroecology of south eastern Nigeria. Nigeria Agricultural Journal, 30: pp 59-76.

4) Akamigbo, F. O. R. (2005). Soil survey, classification and uses of Fadama soils in Nigeria. Proceedings of the 30th Annual Conference of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria. pp 16 – 30.

5) Amhkhian, S.O. and Osemwota, I.O. (2012). Characterization of phosphorus status in soils of the guinea savannah zone of Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Soil Science, 22(1):37-43.

6) Bouyoucos, G.J. (1962). Hydrometer Method Improved for Making Particle Size Analysis of Soils. Agronomy Journal. 54:464-465.

7) Brady, N.C. and Weil, R.R. 2002. The Nature and Properties of Soils. Pearson Education, Inc. New Jessy, USA.

8) Bremner J.M and Mulvaney C.S. (1982). Nitrogen - total. In: Page R., Miller A. and Keeney D.R. (Eds.), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2 (pp. 595-624) (2nd ed.). Madison, WI: Am. Soc. Agron. & Soil Sci. Soc. Am.

9) Commonwealth Bureau of Soils, Harpenden, U.K.

10) Enwezor, W.O., Udo, E.J., Usoro, N.J., Ayotade, K.A., Adepetu, J.A., Chude, V.O. and Udegbe, C.I. (1989) Fertizer use and management practices for crops in Nigeria. Series 2. Federal Procurement and Distribution Division, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development, Lagos. pp163.

11) Gideon, Y.B. and Fatoye, F.B. (2012). Sediment Geochemistry of river Okura: Implication to Weathering and Transport (EJES). 7:103-111.

12) Jones, M.J. and Wild, A. (1975). Soils of the West African savanna. Tech. Common. SS

13) Kefas, P.K., Zata, A.I., Phillip, H.J., Ukabiala, M.E. and Ezekiel, T.N. (2016). Soil assessment of selected floodplain soil in Nigeria to support agriculture advancemet. International Journal of Plant and Soil Science. 11(2):1-12.

14) Klute, A. and Dirksen, C. (1986). Hydraulic conductivity and diffusivity laboratory methods. In Klute, A. Ed. Methods of Soil Analyses. American Society of Agronomy-Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp635-662.

15) Kolay, A.K. (2000). Basic Concepts of Soil Science (2nd Edu). New Delhii New Age International (P) Ltd Publishers.

16) Kowal,J.M, and Kassam, A.H. (1978). Agricultural ecology of savanna. A study of West Africa. Clarendon Press, Oxford Uk.

17) McLean, E.O. (1982). Soil pH and Lime Requirement. P. 199-224. In: Page et al.(eds) Method of Soil Analysis part 2. Chemical and Microbial Properties. 2nd 288 ed. Agronomy Monograph 9, ASA and SSSA, Madison WI.

18) Nelson, D.W. and Sommers, C.E. (1982). Total carbon, organic carbon and organic matter, In: A.C. Page and C.A. Black (eds). Methods of Soil Analysis Part 2, 2nd ed. Agronomic Monograph 9 ASA and SSA, Madison, W.I. pp. 539 – 579.

19) Ogban, P.I. and Ekerette, I.O. (2001). Physical and chemical properties of the coastal plain sands of southern Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Soil Resources, 2:6-14.

20) Olson, R.A. and Englestad, O.P. (1972). Soil phosphorus and sulphur. pp82-101. In Soils of the Humid Tropics, National Academy of Sciences, Washington.

21) Olson, S.R. and Sommers, L.E. (1982). Phosphorus. pp403-434. In Page et al. (eds). Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2. Agronomy Monogragh 9, ASA and Soil Science Society of America, Madison WI.

22) Rhoades, J.D. (1982). Cation exchange capacity In: Page, A.L. (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis Part 2. 2nd Edition, Agronomy Monograph 9. ASA, Madison, W.I. pp403-434.

23) Sanchez, P.A. (1976). Properties and Management of Soils in the Tropics. John Wiley and Sons. New York.

24) Schoeneberger, P.J., D.A. Wysocki, E.C. Benham, and Soil Survey Staff. (2012). Field book for describing and sampling soils, Version 3.0. Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Soil Survey Center, Lincoln, NE.

25) Shehu, B.M., Jibrin, J.M. and Samndi, A.M. (2015). Fertilizer status of selected soils in the sudan savanna biome of Northern Nigeria. International Journal of Soil Science. 10: (2): 74 – 83. www.academicjournals.com

26) Soil Survey Staff (1999). Soil Taxonomy: A Basic System of Soil Classification for Making and Interpreting Soil Surveys. Second Edition. United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Agriculture Handbook, Number 436.

27) Thomas, G.W. (1982). Exchangeable cations, pp 159 – 165. In: Page et al. (eds) Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2. 2nd . Agronomy Monograph 9. ASA and SSSA, Madison, WI.

28) Ukabiala, M.E. (2012). Characterization and Classification of River Benue Floodplain Soils in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. M.Sc. Thesis, Kogi State University, Anyigba. (Unpublished).

29) Ukabiala, M.E. (2019). Characterization, Classification and Suitability Evaluation of Soils of Eastern Kogi State of Nigeria for Rice, Maize, Cassva and Oil palm Production. Thesis submitted to the Department of Soil Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Unpublished.

30) Uyovbisere, E.O. and Elemo, K.A. (2000). Effect of inorganic fertilizer and foliage of Azadaricta and parkia species on the productivity of early maize. Nigeria Journal of Soil Research, 1:17-22.

31) Vanlauwe, B. and Saginga, N. (2004) The Multiple roles of organic resources in implementing integrated soil fertility management strategies. In: Modeling nutrient management in tropical cropping systems. Delve, R.J. and Probert, M.E. (eds). ACIAR Proceedings 114:12-24. https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/upland-soils

32) Staniszewski, Ryszard; Jusik, Szymon; Kupiec and Jerzy (2012). "Variability of Taxonomic Structure of Macrophytes According to Major Morphological Modifications of Lowland and Upland Rivers With Different Water Trophy". Nauka Przyroda Technologie.

33) Humberto Blanco‐Canqui. (2022) Cover crops and carbon sequestration: Lessons from U.S. studies. Soil Science Society of America Journal 86:3, pages 501-519.

34) Ardeshir Adeli, John P. Brooks, John J. Read, Gary Feng, Dana Miles, Mark W. Shankle, Nicole Barksdale and Johnie N. Jenkins (2020). Management Strategies on an Upland Soil for Improving Soil Properties, Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 51:3, 413-429, DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2019.1709490