Kwara State University
Ade Afe
Designation: Senior Lecturer
Department: Crop Production
| My Publications | ||||||||
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| S/N | Title | Abstract | Authors | Volume Numbers | Publication Type | Publication Date | Link | |
| 1 | Suitability Evaluation of a Typic Plinthustalf in Southern Guinea Savanna Zone of Nigeria, for the production of Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L.) |
The need to optimize and produce maize of quality protein content in a Typic plinthustalfs calls for potential suitability evaluation. Hence, three mapping units were established along the toposequence and three profile pits were dug at each per mapping unit. The pits were described and sampled following FAO guidelines. Soil samples were taken from the pedogenic horizons for morphological, physical and chemical data analyses. Linear parametric and square root models were used for assessing the suitability of the soils for maize production. Land qualities considered in the study were climate, topography, wetness, soil fertility and soil physical properties. Except for the fertility status of the land, other qualities were not a constraint to the production of maize at the study site. All the pedons were classified as currently not suitable by both linear and square root models with index of current productivity (IPc) ranging between 1.08 and 2.05. Potentially, using the linear model, the index of potential productivity (IPp) ranged between 63 and 90 thus rated pedon 1 and 2 as highly suitable and pedon 3 as moderately suitable while the square root model indicated all pedons as highly suitable, for both local and quality protein maize production. The limiting factors were mainly low levels of available macro-nutrients (N, P, K, Mg), low organic carbon (0.82 %), and low cation exchange capacity (< 16 cmol/Kg) in all three pedons studied. In conclusion, all the pedons were classified as Typic plinthustalfs were currently not suitable (N1) for Maize Production both by the linear and square root models. Hence, it is therefore recommended that good soil management practices such as integrated soil fertilizer application, effective tillage practices and cover cropping should be adopted to ensure sustainable land use for maize production at the studied site. | Alabi, K. O., Wahab, A. A., Lawal, O.O., Uthman A. C. O, Afe A.I. and Omodele T. | 21, 1-12, 2020 | Journal article | 2020-10-19 | Publisher-Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. | |