Abstract
Characterization of soils is helpful in the appraisal of soil productivity. The study investigated detailed physico-chemical characterize of the soils developed on basaltic parent materials on the Jos plateau, Nigeria. The aim was to assess appropriate management practice for their sustainability in agricultural production. Four profiles pits were dug and studied, soil samples collected from pedogenetic horizons were analysed for particle size distribution, pH, fertility related properties. Results indicated that the soils were deep, clayey and reddish in colour (2.5YR 3/3-5YR 3/4). In terms of chemical characteristic, the soils are acidic (pH ranged between 4.6 and 5.6) with low to high CEC values (between 4.3 and 14.8 cmol (+) kg-1) and generally low in organic matter on the average (<1.5%) and exchangeable bases. The four profiles developed on basaltic parent materials on the Jos Plateau of Nigeria were characterized and classified as Typic Haplustusts and Andic Haplustepts. All the soils were well drained in spite of high percent clay above 40% and silt fraction of 20 to 30%, which is apparently kaolinitic, with moderate to high aluminium saturation. Higher agricultural productivity of these soils is constraint by low nutrient-holding capacities and strong acidity. Ways to ameliorate these problems include; to raise the exchangeable Al3+ above toxicity and to supply Ca and Mg contents besides improving soil physical conditions. Key words: Basaltic, typic haplustusts, andic haplustepts, kaolinitic, aluminium toxicity.  
Highlights
Soil properties vary in spatial and temporal directions (Sokouti and Mahdian, 2011) and such variation depicts systematic changes as a functions of the geology and derived landforms (Burke, 2002), soil parent materials (Koojman et al, 2005) and soil management practices (Amusan et al, 2006)
Markus et al (2008) reported that soil derived from basaltic rocks under tropical and sub-tropical environments are reported to contain kaolinite and sesquioxides as the major clay constituents and are variously classified as Oxisols, Ultisols and Alfisols (Soil Taxonomy) Jos Plateau covers an area of about 8600 km in the central part of Nigeria with varying parent rocks
The study was carried out in the Jos Plateau, which forms a highland area standing above the surrounding plains in the central part of Nigeria
Summary
Soil properties vary in spatial and temporal directions (Sokouti and Mahdian, 2011) and such variation depicts systematic changes as a functions of the geology and derived landforms (Burke, 2002), soil parent materials (Koojman et al, 2005) and soil management practices (landuse) (Amusan et al, 2006). Markus et al (2008) reported that soil derived from basaltic rocks under tropical and sub-tropical environments are reported to contain kaolinite and sesquioxides as the major clay constituents and are variously classified as Oxisols, Ultisols and Alfisols (Soil Taxonomy) Jos Plateau covers an area of about 8600 km in the central part of Nigeria with varying parent rocks. These parent rocks include basaltic, biotite-granites, alluvium, unconsolidated.
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