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ABSTRACT
The study was carried out in the Faculty of Agriculture Farm Project, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. Where two mapping units; mapping unit 1 and mapping unit 2, have been established. The study was carried out to compare the effects of agricultural practices (tillage and inorganic fertilizer application) on some of the chemical and physical parameters of the two mapping units over a period of ten years. The agricultural practices were inorganic fertilizer application; NPK and Urea which has been applied over the past ten years and tillage practices; conventional hoe tillage for the first seven years and conservational tillage (mulching) which has been carried out for the past three years. Soil samples were collected both for the physical and chemical parameters. For the physical parameters samples were collected at two depths; 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm using the soil auger and core sampler. Samples for chemical parameters were collected at a depth of 0-30 cm using the soil auger and analysis was carried out. The design used to analyse the data was completely randomized block design (CRBD). The result indicated that the textural classes for mapping unit 1 and 2 were sandy loam and loamy sand at depths 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm. There were no significant differences in the chemical parameters studied at (p<0.05) level of probability across the two mapping units. However, the mean values for the chemical parameters measured were; pH values ranged from (3.96-4.17), Organic carbon (8.58-10.77 g/kg), Total nitrogen (0.43-0.54 g/kg), Available phosphorus (0.31-0.42 g/kg), Calcium (0.44-0.52 Cmol/kg), Cation exchange capacity (0.65-0.76 Cmol/kg) and Exchangeable acidity (0.13-0.17 Cmol/kg) for mapping unit 1 and 2 respectively. The physical parameters studied were Bulk density with a range of values between (1.44-1.55 g/cm3 ) at 0-15 cm and a range of (1.54-1.62g/cm3 ) at 15-30 cm depth, Porosity (41.67-45.67 %) for the 0-15 cm depth while at 15-30 cm depth the values are (38.33-40.67 %), with the soil moisture characteristics evenly distributed across the various potential pressure applied, the values range from 0.15-0.4 cm3 for mapping unit 1 and 0.16-0.36 cm3 for mapping unit 2 at 0, -3, -10, and -1500 -kpa for the 0-15 cm depth and at depth15-30 cm the values ranged from (0.17-0.4 cm3 ) for mapping unit 1 and (0.16- 0.4 cm3 ) for mapping unit 2. Although no significant differences at (p<0.05) level of probability were observed across the physical parameters measured, however, Bulk density and Total porosity were significantly different at (p<0.05) level of probability at the 0-15 cm depth respectively.
