Physical-Chemical Characterization of Soils in Selected Potato Growing Areas of Molo, Nakuru County Kenya

International Journal of Agriculture & Environmental Science

© 2020 by SSRG - IJAES Journal

Volume 7 Issue 4

Year of Publication : 2020

Authors : Francis M. Maingi, Harun M. Mbuvi, Adamu Abdulhameed

10.14445/23942568/IJAES-V7I4P101

How to Cite?

Francis M. Maingi, Harun M. Mbuvi, Adamu Abdulhameed, "Physical-Chemical Characterization of Soils in Selected Potato Growing Areas of Molo, Nakuru County Kenya," SSRG International Journal of Agriculture & Environmental Science, vol. 7,  no. 4, pp. 1-6, 2020. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23942568/IJAES-V7I4P101

Abstract:

Characterization of soils in selected potato growing farms of Molo, Nakuru County in Kenya was compelled by the decline in potatoes acreage yields
observed in the study area over the years. In the pursuit of reasons behind the decline, this study determined levels of some key soil fertility indices in
soil samples obtained from selected farms. Four farms that have been in intensive potatoes farming were used. The soil was randomly collected from a
depth of 0-10 cm separately for all the investigated sites. Collected site-wise samples were air-dried, ground, and passed through a 2 mm sieve and  stored in plastic containers ready for analysis. Analytical techniques employed were Walkley black for carbon, Kjeldahl for nitrogen, standard wet chem soil analysis, saturation method for water porosity, glass electrode determined soil pH, bulk density, particle density, water holding capacity were determined by methods of Keen box. The mean levels of essential soil fertility indices obtained were; soils pH (5.46 ± 0.43), soil bulk density (g/cm3) (1.03 ± 0.01), particle density (2.51 ± 0.08), water holding capacity (%) (36.07 ± 2.57), porosity (0.59 ± 0.01), exchangeable cations (uS/cm) (83.63 ± 14.22), cation exchange capacity (meq/100g) (18.48 ± 0.89), organic carbon (%) (3.50 ± 0.24), total nitrogen (%) (0.17 ± 0.03). Mean micro and macronutrients available (mg/Kg) were; phosphorous (7.11 ± 2.77), potassium (100.27 ± 8.32), calcium (198.2 ± 35.1), magnesium (20.97 ± 4.28), manganese (15.26 ± 1.12), sulphur (2.31 ± 1.88), copper (0.59 ± 0.12), boron (0.38 ± 0.07), zinc (12.96 ± 2.04), sodium (8.61 ± 0.51), iron (147.92 ± 4.10). These findings reveal the extent of some fertility indices depletion in the soils and will form a base for decreased acreage yield of potatoes in this region. The results further form the baseline for future research on the working acreage of key soil fertility indices required for remediation.

Keywords:

Baseline, Characterization, Depletion, Fertility indices, Potatoes acreage yields.

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