Abstract
Water budgeting in agriculture requires local soil moisture information as crops depend mainly on moisture available at root level. The present paper aims to evaluate the soil moisture characteristics of Gleysols in the Bamenda (Cameroon) wetlands and to evaluate the link between soil moisture content and selected soil characteristics affecting crop production. The work was conducted in the field and laboratory, and data were analyzed by simple descriptive statistics. The main results showed that the soils had a silty clayey to clayey texture, high bulk density, high soil organic carbon content, and high soil organic carbon stocks. The big difference between moisture contents at wilting point and at field capacity testified to very high plant-available water content. Also, the soils displayed very high contents of readily available water and water storage contents. The soil moisture characteristics give sigmoid curves and enabled noting that the Gleysols attain their full water saturation at a range of 57.68 to 91.70% of dry soil. Clay and SOC contents show a significant positive correlation with most of the soil moisture characteristics, indicating that these soil properties are important for soil water retention. Particle density, coarse fragments, and sand contents correlated negatively with the soil moisture characteristics, suggesting that they decrease soil water-holding capacity. The principal component analysis (PCA) enabled reducing 17 variables described to only three principal components (PCs) explaining 73.73% of the total variance; the first PC alone expressed 45.12% of the total variance, associating clay, SOC, and six soil moisture characteristics, thus portraying a deep correlation between these eight variables. Construction of contoured ditches, deep tillage, and raised ridges management techniques during the rainy season while channeling water from nearby water bodies into the farmland, opportunity cropping, and usage of water cans and other irrigation strategies are used during the dry season to combat water constraints.
Highlights
Soil water information is necessary for rainfall partition, establishment of irrigation schedules, and partitioning of net radiation [1, 2]. e response of soil water properties is a key indicator of the impact of agricultural management on the movement of water and chemicals through the soil [3]
Land use is often done without necessary technical know-how of sustainable land management techniques. is work was focused on the determination of moisture characteristics of Gleysols in the Bamenda wetlands and to establish a link between them and selected soil characteristics affecting crop production
E major findings revealed that the Gleysols showed very high organic carbon contents and very high soil organic carbon stocks implying a high level of carbon sequestration
Summary
Soil water information is necessary for rainfall partition, establishment of irrigation schedules, and partitioning of net radiation [1, 2]. e response of soil water properties is a key indicator of the impact of agricultural management on the movement of water and chemicals through the soil [3].Wetlands are temporarily or permanently flooded areas where the soils are water-saturated and waterlogging is common [4].Gleysols, typical of wetlands, are characterized by reduction or localized segregation of iron, due to temporary or permanent waterlogging causing anaerobic conditions [5].ese soils occur where hydrological conditions controlledApplied and Environmental Soil Science by abundant rainfall, gentle slope, low landscape position, or impermeable soils lead to soil surface saturation by water for a sufficiently long period enough for waterlogging to occur [6]. Wetlands are temporarily or permanently flooded areas where the soils are water-saturated and waterlogging is common [4]. Typical of wetlands, are characterized by reduction or localized segregation of iron, due to temporary or permanent waterlogging causing anaerobic conditions [5]. Applied and Environmental Soil Science by abundant rainfall, gentle slope, low landscape position, or impermeable soils lead to soil surface saturation by water for a sufficiently long period enough for waterlogging to occur [6]. Wetland soils are unique among soils and possess morphological, physical, and chemical properties that readily distinguish them from upland soils [9, 10]. Little effort has been dedicated to the understanding of Gleysols water characteristics in tropical wetland ecosystems
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
