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Assessment and Mapping of Status and Spatial Distribution of Soil Macronutrients in Kambata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Alemu Lelago,T. Mamo,W. Haile,Hailu Shiferaw

Published 2016 in Advances in Plants and Agriculture Research

ABSTRACT

The lack of site specific fertilizer recommendation to replenish declining soil fertility has been the major challenge to boost crop production in Ethiopia. Therefore, an investigation was conducted on soil macronutrient status of Kedida Gamela, Kechabra and Damboya worded as of Ethiopia. Four hundred sixty three geo-referenced soil samples were collected by using grid survey method. phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) were extracted by using Mehlich-III extraction method. Soil reaction was determined by pH meter. Total nitrogen (TN), Organic carbon and cation exchange capacity were predicted from Mid Infrared Spectra. The fertility maps and predication were prepared by ordinary kriging. Calcium showed strong spatial dependence but the spatial dependence of pH, OM, TN and K was moderate whereas the spatial dependence of P, S and Mg was weak. The pH of the soil samples ranged from 4.5 to 8.6 and about 83.5% of all agricultural soils were acidic in reaction. The measured EC values ranged from 0.02 to 0.81 dSm-1. Available P ranged from 0 to 267 ppm. Available S ranged between 3 and 63ppm and nearly 98% of the agricultural soils of the study areas had below optimum sulphur values. The TN content ranged between 0.0003% and 0.51% and about 61% of analyzed soil samples were below optimum level in TN status. The soil OM ranged from 0.0003 to 7.35%. The exchangeable K, Ca and Mg values ranged from 0.39 to 4.24, 4.9 to 19.5 and 0.68 to 6.09 cmolc kg-1, respectively. The proper rate of limes for acidic soil of the study area and P, N and S fertilizers should be applied to boost the agricultural productivity. Further correlation and calibration of soil test data with plant response is reconsidered.

PUBLICATION RECORD

  • Publication year

    2016

  • Venue

    Advances in Plants and Agriculture Research

  • Publication date

    2016-09-06

  • Fields of study

    Agricultural and Food Sciences, Biology, Environmental Science

  • Identifiers
    DOI 10.15406/APAR.2016.04.00144
  • External record

    Open on Semantic Scholar

  • Source metadata

    Semantic Scholar

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