Forms of Primary Nutrient Elements in Soils Overlying Contrasting Parent Materials in South - Eastern Nigeria
1 Department of Soil Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 1526, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Soil Science and Technology, P.M.B 1526, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
* Corresponding author: mildredshine@yahoo.com
2 Department of Soil Science and Technology, P.M.B 1526, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
* Corresponding author: mildredshine@yahoo.com
Abstract
Appropriate management of soil fertility should rely upon sound knowledge of the nutrients reserve and their availability. This is only possible if there is adequate information on the influence of parent material on the dynamics and availability of these nutrient elements. Research was carried out in 2014 at three locations underlain by three different parent materials namely Basalt (Ikom in Cross River State, Sandstone (Nto-Ndang in Akwa-Ibom State) and Alluvium (Ohaji-Egbema in Imo state) to provide information on the status and dynamics of the major primary nutrient elements (N, P, K) in the soils of these areas. Results showed that Basalt-derived soils were more clayey, contained higher quantities of organic matter and exchangeable bases (TEB) than soils of other parent materials. Significantly (P
Keywords
parent material
nitrogen
phosphorus
potassium
alluvium
sandstone
basalt