Assessing Properties of the Lower Niger Flood Plain Alluvial Soils in Bayelsa State, Nigeria for Sustained Food Security

Dickson A. A, Tate J O, Ikuli J. M., Ogboin T. P., Kosuowei M

Abstract: Alluvial soils from different river plains in Bayelsa State, Southern Nigeria were characterized and relationship between soil properties assessed. Pedogenic soil samples from the levee crest, middle slope, lower slope and recent alluvial soils from the channels of present active rivers were analyzed for physical and chemical properties using standard methods and the soils properties relationship evaluated using principal component analysis and correlation studies. Plant nutrients availability in the soils depended strongly on soil acidity as Principal Component Analysis revealed the eight most important contributions of soil properties (PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4, PC5, PC6, PC7, and PC8) explaining 83% of the total variability, each component representing a series of variables that simplified the analysis and interpretation. Soil acidity, exchangeable Al and ECEC dominated PC1 positive factor loading contribution, emphasizing the dominance of soil acidity in dictating nutrient retention and availability in the soils. Clay gave a negative loading in PC5 while organic matter gave a positive loading in PC2, implying that organic matter contributed more to plant nutrients availability than clay. The correlation between organic matter and N (r = 0.366, p ?0.001) and available P (r = - 0.310, p ?0.01) were positive and highly significant, confirming the PCA results, that N and P availability were function of the amount of organic matter present. Biomass accumulation contributed greatly to improvement of soil fertility and soil structure. Therefore, soil organic matter improvement and maintenance should be given priority for sustained food security.

Keywords: Alluvial soils, Bayelsa State, Principal Component Analysis, Nutrient availability, Organic matter