Effects Of Oil Palm (<i>Elaeis guineensis</i>) And Gmelina (<i>Gmelina arborea</i>) Plantations On Soil Properties In The Calabar Environment, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was undertaken in Akamkpa Local Government Area, some 30 – 35 km north of Calabar. The soils are developed from Basement Complex rocks mostly granites inter-bedded with shale under a rainfall regime of over 2,000 mm per annum. One toposequence, each under oil palm and gmelina plantations, was selected for the study The results showed that the soils under oil palm plantation accumulated more Ca, Mg, K, and P, higher electrical conductivity and exchangeable acidity but lower effective cation exchange capacity, less organic carbon, less total N and was slightly less acidic than the ones under gmelina cultivation. Except for the content of available phosphorus, the nutrient contents in soils of both plantations were higher than similar soils under arable crops, thus confirming both plants as soil improvers.

KEY WORDS: soil improvers, Elaeis guineensis, Gmelina arborea, Basement Complex

Global Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol.3(1&2) 2004: 63-67