Abstract
The soils on diverse landforms in Ikot Esidem, Southern Nigeria were characterized and their suitability evaluated for three varieties of cocoyam. The study area was stratified into flood plains, inland valleys, gentle slopes and crest. The results indicate that sand (30-78%) dominated pedons of gentle slopes and crest while silt (25-55%) and clay (19-51%) dominated the pedons of flood plains and inland valleys. The soils of flood plains and inland valleys were moderately acid (pH 5.0-5.7), medium to high in organic carbon (6.3-20.5 g/kg) and medium to high in base saturation (BS) (46-90%). The gentle slopes and crest units were strongly acid (pH 4.0-5.1), low in organic carbon (4.0-11.3 g/kg) and base saturation (20.5-34.7%). The land suitability evaluated the flood plains and inland valleys as moderately suitable and the gentle slopes and crest as not suitable for Dasheen Type Taro. The flood plains and inland valleys were also evaluated moderately suitable, whereas gentle slopes and crest were marginally suitable for Eddoe Type Taro. Efficient water control drainage and erosion control will enhance cocoyam cultivation depending on terrain type.
Highlights
Land suitability is the ability of a portion of land to tolerate the production of crops in a sustainable manner. Halder (2013) remarked that soil characterization and suitability evaluation allow the identification of main limiting factors for particular crop production and enables decision makers to develop a crop management system for increasing the land productivity in a sustainable manner
The soils of flood plain landform occur on level or nearly level (0-2%) physiography
This soil unit occupies an area of about 10.8 ha (14.1%) of the total study area
Summary
Land suitability is the ability of a portion of land to tolerate the production of crops in a sustainable manner. Halder (2013) remarked that soil characterization and suitability evaluation allow the identification of main limiting factors for particular crop production and enables decision makers to develop a crop management system for increasing the land productivity in a sustainable manner. Halder (2013) remarked that soil characterization and suitability evaluation allow the identification of main limiting factors for particular crop production and enables decision makers to develop a crop management system for increasing the land productivity in a sustainable manner. Land suitability is a function of crop requirements and land characteristics. The evaluation should be periodically carried out to determine its suitability for specific uses and management practices required. The soil information obtained can be used for a more realistic land use recommendation and present its constraints (Nsor et al, 2014). This practice promotes suitable use and proper management of environmental resources
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