1Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Delta State University Abraka, Nigeria.
2Department of Soil and Land Resource Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba, Nigeria.
*Corresponding Author: S.A. Ojobor, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Delta State University Abraka, Nigeria. Email: smartojobor@gmail.com
Fertilizer application without soil test has resulted to nutrient imbalance and toxicity leading to widespread yield depletion. Appraisal of soil fertility status of Timpher Farms Limited in Okpare-Olomu, Ughelli-south local government area of Delta State.
Soil samples and their coordinates were taken and soil quality indicators were analyse using standard procedures. Soil fertility index and Soil evaluation factor were calculated and used to delineate the arable farm area into nutrient management zones. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and correlation coefficient was used to establish the relationship among soil variables.
The soil is loamy sand, strongly acidic with an average soil organic matter while total nitrogen was low. Available P was moderate, exchangeable bases were low except for Ca that was moderate. Base saturation was low whereas CEC was moderate but dominated by non-basic cations. The micronutrients were adequate for crop production. Larger proportions of the farm falls within the low soil organic matter and total nitrogen management zones; indicating that the farm had low soil fertility.
Crop production, Nutrient appraisal, Nutrient management zones, Okpare-olomu, Soil fertility assessment
