CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Background: Soils in southern Ethiopia are under intensive cultivation, and low soil fertility is a major problem. However, very little is known about soil types and their inherent nature to support specific decisions on soil managements. Objective: To characterize and classify soils for three selec...

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Main Authors: Rameto Wabela Buser, Girma Abera, Bekele Lemma, Amsalu Gobena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán 2024-11-01
Series:Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems
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Online Access:https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSA/article/view/5764
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author Rameto Wabela Buser
Girma Abera
Bekele Lemma
Amsalu Gobena
author_facet Rameto Wabela Buser
Girma Abera
Bekele Lemma
Amsalu Gobena
author_sort Rameto Wabela Buser
collection DOAJ
description Background: Soils in southern Ethiopia are under intensive cultivation, and low soil fertility is a major problem. However, very little is known about soil types and their inherent nature to support specific decisions on soil managements. Objective: To characterize and classify soils for three selected agricultural sites in southern Ethiopia. Methodology: The field morphological description and laboratory analysis were carried out to characterize, and classify the soils of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage in southern Ethiopia. A representative soil profile (2 m x 2 m x 2 m) was open at each site, for soil profile description. For each profile, soil samples were collected for each of the genetic horizons identified, and the samples were analyzed for their soil physicochemical properties. Results: The results showed that the surfaces of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage were strongly acidic, neutral, and moderately alkaline, respectively. The surface soil of Kokate had clay texture, a high content of micronutrients, cation exchange capacity and moderate base saturation, low soil organic carbon, and available phosphorus. The surface soil of Hawassa had loam texture, high base saturation, cation exchange capacity, and low levels of soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, and micronutrients. The surface soil of Alage had silt clay loam texture, high base saturation, cation exchange capacity, sodium content, and low soil organic carbon content, available phosphorus, and micronutrients. Based on WRB, the soils of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage were classified as Vertic Luvisols with an argic diagnostic subsurface horizon, Haplic Cambisols with a cambic diagnostic subsurface horizon, and Calcaric Fluvisols with fluvic diagnostic material, respectively. Implications: The differences may suggest that site-specific soil fertility management is desired, and the results may provide basic information to design soil management options to improve land productivity. Conclusions: The present study showed three soil types and revealed their low nutrient content and different soil pH.
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spelling doaj-art-900a9fa489a94f7cb66bcce0a692fef22025-08-20T02:16:46ZengUniversidad Autónoma de YucatánTropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems1870-04622024-11-0127310.56369/tsaes.57641741CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIARameto Wabela Buser0Girma AberaBekele LemmaAmsalu GobenaHawassa UniversityBackground: Soils in southern Ethiopia are under intensive cultivation, and low soil fertility is a major problem. However, very little is known about soil types and their inherent nature to support specific decisions on soil managements. Objective: To characterize and classify soils for three selected agricultural sites in southern Ethiopia. Methodology: The field morphological description and laboratory analysis were carried out to characterize, and classify the soils of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage in southern Ethiopia. A representative soil profile (2 m x 2 m x 2 m) was open at each site, for soil profile description. For each profile, soil samples were collected for each of the genetic horizons identified, and the samples were analyzed for their soil physicochemical properties. Results: The results showed that the surfaces of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage were strongly acidic, neutral, and moderately alkaline, respectively. The surface soil of Kokate had clay texture, a high content of micronutrients, cation exchange capacity and moderate base saturation, low soil organic carbon, and available phosphorus. The surface soil of Hawassa had loam texture, high base saturation, cation exchange capacity, and low levels of soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, and micronutrients. The surface soil of Alage had silt clay loam texture, high base saturation, cation exchange capacity, sodium content, and low soil organic carbon content, available phosphorus, and micronutrients. Based on WRB, the soils of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage were classified as Vertic Luvisols with an argic diagnostic subsurface horizon, Haplic Cambisols with a cambic diagnostic subsurface horizon, and Calcaric Fluvisols with fluvic diagnostic material, respectively. Implications: The differences may suggest that site-specific soil fertility management is desired, and the results may provide basic information to design soil management options to improve land productivity. Conclusions: The present study showed three soil types and revealed their low nutrient content and different soil pH.https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSA/article/view/5764soil horizonssoil characterizationsoil classificationsoil profilesoil propertiessoil types
spellingShingle Rameto Wabela Buser
Girma Abera
Bekele Lemma
Amsalu Gobena
CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems
soil horizons
soil characterization
soil classification
soil profile
soil properties
soil types
title CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
title_full CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
title_fullStr CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
title_full_unstemmed CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
title_short CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
title_sort characterization and classification of soils for selected sites in southern ethiopia
topic soil horizons
soil characterization
soil classification
soil profile
soil properties
soil types
url https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/ojs/index.php/TSA/article/view/5764
work_keys_str_mv AT rametowabelabuser characterizationandclassificationofsoilsforselectedsitesinsouthernethiopia
AT girmaabera characterizationandclassificationofsoilsforselectedsitesinsouthernethiopia
AT bekelelemma characterizationandclassificationofsoilsforselectedsitesinsouthernethiopia
AT amsalugobena characterizationandclassificationofsoilsforselectedsitesinsouthernethiopia