ABSTRACT
A survey of soils of Ulakwo, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, was conducted to characterize and evaluate the suitability of the soils for sustainable production of oil palm. The area was reconnaissansized and four mapping units delineated. A representative profile pit was dug in each mapping unit and described according to international procedures and standard methods. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for their physical and chemical properties and the land was assessed for oil palm cultivation. Results revealed well drained and deep soils. Texture showed sandy loam overlying sandy clay loam. Soils were very strongly - strongly acidic (4.5-5.5) with very low (subsurface) to moderate (surface) organic carbon (0.12 – 1.24 %). Available phosphorous was moderate (7.7 - 26.3 mgkg-1). There were generally low exchangeable bases and effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC). The non- parametric approach of suitability evaluation by simple limitation method indicated that the soils currently under refuse dumps, oil palm cultivation and one year fallow in the study area were moderately suitable (S2) for oil palm production while soils under continuous cassava cultivation were evaluated marginally suitable (S3) for oil palm cultivation on fertility grounds of low organic carbon content. Since the soils were low in fertility and highly acidic, the judicious use of lime and supplemented with organic manure and NPK fertilizers are recommended.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title
Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table
of Contents vi
List
of Tables xiii
List
of Figures ix
Abstract x
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Objectives of the Study 2
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE
REVIEW 3
2.1. Land
Characteristics, Land Qualities and Land
Evaluations 3
2.1.1 Land
evaluation 4
2.1.2 Land
evaluation methods 5
2.1.3 Evaluation of land suitability 6
2.2
Oil Palm (Elaeis guineesis) 9
2.2.1
The benefits of oil palm cultivation's
advantages 10
2.2.2
Climates requirement for oil palm
cultivation 11
2.2.3
Oil palm cultivation soil requirements 11
2.2.4
Propagation of oil palm cultivation 11
2.3 Coastal Plains 12
2.4 Characteristics
of Soils Derived from Coastal Plain Sand Parent Materials 12
2.5 Survey
of the Soils 13
2.5.1
Soil profiling in digital form 14
CHAPTER
3: MATERIALS AND METHODS 15
3.1 Description
of Study Area 15
3.2 Field
Work 18
3.3 Soil Analysis and Data Interpretation 18
3.4 Land
Suitability Evaluation Procedure 19
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION 21
4.1 Morphological
Characteristics 21
4.2 Physical
Characteristics 23
4.3 Chemical
Characteristics 26
4.4 Suitability
Evaluation 30 4.4.1 Climate(c) 30
4.4.2: Topography
(t) 30
4.4.3 Soil physical
characteristics (s) 30
4.4.4 Fertility
characteristics (f) 31
4.4.5 Aggregate
suitability 31
CHAPTER 5:
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 33
5.1 Conclusion 33
5.2 Recommendation 33
References
Appendices
LIST
OF TABLES
2.1: Land suitability classification structure 9
3.1: Land use requirement for oil palm 20
4.1: Morphological properties of soils of the
study area. 22
4.2: Physical
properties of soils of the study area 25
4:3 Chemical
properties of soils of the study area 29
4.4
Individual and aggregate suitability
ratings of the different land use types
using non- parametric method for oil
palm 32
LIST
OF FIGURE
1: Map of the study area showing locations of
profile pits sampled 17
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
Nigeria’s land mass is facing intensive
competitive uses and misuses that very often leads to severe degradation
(Akamigbo 1999). This effect hinders meaningful national development; it is
therefore, pertinent that for the potentials of agricultural land to be
maximized, there is need to have a good understanding of the different
alternative uses. Land use should be based on a knowledge of the
appropriateness of the land for the intended use in order to achieve
environmental sustainability, rather than on the wants and expectations of the
users (Ogunkunle, 1995).
The data gathered during the soil analysis
has shown to be very useful in the creation of land use plans, which assess and
forecast the impact of land use on the environment. Soil Survey and the
interpretation of its report (or evaluation) are very important before the
commencement of any agro-based investment, it involves systematic examination,
classification and mapping out of soils of an area Lekwa (2002) stated that
soil survey is fundamental to any successful agriculture. It ensures
delineation of soil boundaries into recognizable groupings which are later
classified in terms of their common properties. Land evaluation is the
interpretation of soil survey data such that every parcel of land is used in
accordance with its capability, suitability and limitation (FAO, 2007).
The importance of land evaluation (an
assessment of land physiographic features climate, conditions and soil
properties) in land use planning and management has long been underscored in
the reports of FAO (1976), Vinck (1975), Sys (1985) and Ogunkunle (1989);
especially as in many parts of the world, available land suited for cultivation
of food and tree crops is already in short supply FAO (1976).
Understandably, climate and soil
constitute major aspects of the environment, that greatly determines the yield
of any crop but it’s also common knowledge that even with the most adequate
rainfall amounts, optimum yield cannot be obtained unless the soils conditions
are also adequate.
For Nigeria and Owerri in particular with
sub-optimal climatic and/or soil conditions of most crops, soil suitability
assessment is extremely important as this will supply the necessary detailed
information on the degree of suitability of a piece of land, the factors
responsible, management requirements, expected yields and the profitability of
the crop enterprise.
There is inadequate of information on the
land suitability evaluation on coastal plain sand of Imo state for oil
palm production ,there is also increasing economic benefits which
worldwide has recommended an increasing planting of continuation oil palm
cultivation .
1.2
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study are to:
1. Characterize
the soils of the study area.
2 Classification of soils in the study area
using USAD soil taxonomy with appropriate
correlation to world reference base.
3. Evaluate the soils for oil
palm cultivation.
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