Salinity Status of the Soils of a Sudano-Sahelian Zone of Yobe State, Nigeria

Year 2018, Issue: 3, 45 - 50, 01.12.2018

İbraheem Alhassan Sunday Dogo Auwalu Garba Gashua

https://izlik.org/JA69HL38ZS

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural production in
fragile soils of the Sudano-Sahelian agro-ecological zone requires a better
knowledge of its salinity and sodicity problems for appropriate management
practices. The study was carried out to evaluate the salinity indicators of the
soils of Bade Local Government Area (LGA), situated in the Sudano-Sahelian ecological
zone of Yobe State, Nigeria.
Soils were randomly sampled from each of the 10 agricultural areas of the LGA
at 0-20cm depth. Samples collected were composite based on location and depth
for laboratory analysis. Shapiro–wilks normality test indicated
that the data varies significantly from a normal distribution p<0.05.
Descriptive statistics was carried out on the data and basic salinity
parameters were calculated therefrom. The
level of soil salinity was measured by electrical conductivity (EC) of the
soil/water suspension, while total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinity
tolerance rate (EC_se) were determined from the soil texture and EC
values. Results obtained showed that the soils of the area are small to
moderate dispersion existed across the areas for the soil salinity properties
studied. The pH values were
slightly acidic with a median of 6.45; EC_se median value was 1.75dSm^-1
and a wider inter quartile range (IQR) of 1.54
– 4.76dSm^-1. Total dissolved solids (TDS) ranged from very
low (44.8 mmol/L) to marginal (908.8 mmol/L). Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP)
ranged from 0.94 to 11.81%, with a median (interquartile range) of 3.99 (1.68 –
6.95%). Medium values were
recorded on the salinity indices. Therefore best soil and water management
practices such as incorporation of organic residues and manure, efficient use
of inorganic fertilizers and improve drainage are required to prevent salts
build up in the area.

Keywords

Salinity , Sudan , Sahel , Yobe state , Nigeria

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