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Preliminary investigations of soil patterns in large‐scale agricultural projects in Nigeria
Author(s) -
Ekanade O.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-2743.1993.tb00931.x
Subject(s) - nutrient , environmental science , bulk density , agronomy , organic matter , agriculture , soil organic matter , soil retrogression and degradation , soil fertility , agroforestry , soil nutrients , nitrogen , soil water , soil science , ecology , chemistry , biology , organic chemistry
Abstract. The effects of increasing periods of mechanical cultivation on soil properties under maize and cassava are compared with those under savanna in south‐western Nigeria. Bulk density is significantly greater under cultivation and total porosity, pH, organic matter and extractable nutrients are all significantly less than under savanna. However, the amounts of nitrate‐nitrogen and extractable nutrients do not show clear decreases with increasing mechanical cultivation. As the periods of mechanization increase, changes in most soil properties indicate increasing soil degradation. The implications of these results for agricultural policies in Nigeria arc discussed.