Agricultural potentials of floodplain soils with contrasting parent material in Cross River State, Nigeria

S.M Afu,C.E Awaogu,I.A Isong

doi:10.4314/gjpas.v25i1.3

Abstract

This paper reports the soil properties and agricultural potential of floodplain soil in Obufa Esuk Orok, Calabar and Awi, Akamkpa, Cross River State and characterized the soils to develop a baseline for soil improvement and increased agricultural productivity. Floodplain soil developed on coastal plain sand and basement complex soils were examined with regards to their physical and chemical properties. The results showed that both soils were coarse-textured with a high content of sand exceeding 70 %, giving dominant textural classes of loamy sand and sandy loam. The soils were strongly to slightly acid in reaction with mean surface pH values of 5.54 and 5.43 for soil developed on coastal plain sand and basement complex. The surface soil developed in coastal plain sand within Obufa Esuk Orok, Calabar contains moderate amount of exchangeable Mg (0.8-2.2 cmol/kg), available P (10.0 -11.83 mg/kg), total N (0.20-0.25 %) and organic carbon (2.51-3.05 %) and was high in base saturation (93.11-95.50 %) and low in exchangeable acidity. Conversely, the floodplain soil developed on basement complex in Awi, Akamkpa was rated low in key fertility indicators. Hence, floodplain soil under this study notably, those developed on coastal plain soil can be exploited for the cultivation of rice, oil palm, coconut, plantain, pineapple, pepper, fluted pumpkin and sugar cane with judicious application of lime, and N and K fertilizer.Keywords: Floodplain Soil, Soil Fertility, Coastal Plain Soil, Basement Complex

Highlights

Food security is a first priority for the poor, especially people living in Sub-Sahara Africa
Wide variations in nutrient contents exist between upland soils developed on different parent materials within the same climatic condition and geographical location in Cross River State (Gbadegesin et al, 2011, Afu et al, 2017) and elsewhere, but it is not clear if there would be similar significant differences in nutrient contents of floodplain soils developed on different parent material within the same environmental condition, bearing in mind that in all floodplain soils, fresh materials are frequently added through depositions and are characterized with a mixture of clay, silts, sands, and organic materials, and would both be considered to have high and similar soil fertility status and potential for crop production (Reddy and DeLaune, 2008; Daniel et al, 2017)
The difference in particle size distributions between coastal plain sand and basement complex rock were not statistically significant as depicted by the t-test values (t = -0.061, df = 9, p > 0.05), (t = -0.235, df = 9, p >0.05), (t = 0.394; df = 9, p > 0.05) for sand, silt and clay, respectively (Table 3). This result contrast the report of Esu et al (2014) and Yakubu and Ojanuga (2000) that topography, soil depth and parent materials are attributable to differences in pattern of soil distribution and properties of soil over landscape but corroborates the report of Reddy and DeLaune (2008) and Daniel et al (2017) that in all floodplain soils, fresh materials are frequently added through depositions and are characterized with a mixture of clay, silts, sand, which may perhaps have similar properties

Summary

Introduction

Food security is a first priority for the poor, especially people living in Sub-Sahara Africa. In Nigeria, agriculture is the major source of livelihood for most of its populace, especially those living in the rural areas; it is the source of food and income for those who are engaged in the sector. It is clear that an indispensable sector of Nigeria economy (i.e. agriculture) is facing serious constraints of scarcity of land and decline in soil fertility (Udo et al, 2009). This could underscore why Nigeria was among countries that were affected with the last global food crisis (Oparaeke et al, 2010) and has recently been enlisted as one of the poorest countries in the world. Agricultural use of floodplain soils has increased significantly in many developing countries in Africa including Nigeria

Methods

Results

Conclusion