CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS OF KWARA STATE UNIVERSITY TEACHING AND RESEARCH FARM, MALETE, NIGERIA
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Date
2017-06
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Publisher
Journal of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Education (JOSTMED)
Abstract
Proper soil use is inched on understanding its physical and chemical properties. To this end,
the soils of Kwara State University Teaching and Research farm, Malete, situated in the
Southern Guinea Savannah zone of Nigeria were characterized and classified according to
the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA, 2014) Soil Taxonomy and Food and
Agriculture Organization- World Reference Base (FAO – WRB, 2006). Soil survey was done
to establish mapping units. Three profiles (0 -147 cm, 0-156 cm and 0-156 cm) were dug in
each established mapping units along the toposequence of the area (upper, middle and
lower slopes). Soil samples (0-19, 19-35, 35-86, 86-147 cm), (0-21, 21-41,41-61,61-156
cm), (0-40, 40-61, 61-91, 91-156 cm) were collected from the pedogenic horizons for soil
characterization. The soils were deep (0-147 cm, 0-156 cm, depth) and well drained. The
soil physical parameters like the textural classes identified ranged from sandy loam to sandy
clay loam. The soils were moderately acidic to slightly acidic (pH 5.47 - 6.31). The macro
nutrients (N, P), organic carbon (OC) and CEC of the soils were generally low with high base
saturation (>50%). All the pedons had varying quantities of mottles and iron- manganese
concretions. All pedons were classified as Alfisol, having ustic moisture regime and plinthite
occupied more than half volume of soils within 150 cm depth. Therefore, they were
classified as Typic Plinthustalfs (USDA) and as Plinthosol (FAO). At the soil series level, they
were classified as Gambari series (Local classification by Smyth and Montgomery, 1962).