Soil Mechanical Composition and Texture as Indices for On-site and Field Precise Choice of Land Use

The mechanical and textural compositions of the soils of Agoi-Ibami in central Cross River State, Nigeria, were assessed in the field. The goal was to provide soil data for on-site and field land use and management decisions to small-scale, subsistence farmers with restricted access to external farm-inputs for time-consuming and expensive laboratory examination. Three profile pits were sunk along three well-defined and selected toposequences on three landscape elements of crest, middleslope, and valley bottom in three land use types of forest (FS), rubber (RS), and arable (AR) in three land use types of forest (FS), rubber (RS), and arable (AR) in three land use types of forest (FS), rubber (RS), and arable (AR) in three land use types of forest (FS), rubber (RS), and arable (AS). In the moist condition, relevant environmental parameters were inventoried, and profiles were reported. Their textures were determined by the feel method in the field among other morphological properties. The field investigation showed the soils to be predominatly loamy soils. After the field investigation, soil samples were collected from the morphogenetic horizons for determination of their mechanical composition in the laboratory to supplement the field investigation. Their loamy textures and mechanical composition inferred from their loamy texture impact unique physical and chemical properties like good water holding capacity, good drainage, fertile and productive soils and good for irrigation. Loamy soils exhibit properties intermediate between sandy and clayey soils. Loamy soils are considered best for agricultural production because they hold more water and nutrients than sandy soils and have better drainage, aeration and tillage properties than clayey soils. They have slight plastic and sticky workable properties ideal for crop growth and crop productivity. As a result of knowing the texture of soils and their mechanical composition in the field, land use and management decisions can be made on-site without relying on costly and time-consuming laboratory analyses, which are beyond the capacity of resource-poor small-scale and subsistence farmers in developing countries and/or Sub-Saharan Africa. After reciprocal adaptation and changes of the land use description and the increasingly understood soil properties in the field, land use and management decisions are made.

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