ABSTRACT
This study investigated forms of Phosphorus in soils of Oil palm plantation at the Songhai Delta Amukpe farm project, in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta state, Nigeria. The objective was to determine some physical and chemical properties of soil and their relationship between the forms of phosphorus and some physical and chemical properties of soil and their relationship between the forms of phosphorus and some physical and chemical properties of the soil.
Samples were collected from soil profile at depth intervals of 0-30cm, 30-60cm, 60-90cm and 90-120cm respectively. They were air-dried for four weeks due to the very wet terrain the samples were collected from. The soil samples were analysed for physical and chemical properties using Standard Laboratory techniques. Some of the physical and chemical parameters tested were: Soil pH, Total Nitrogen, Total organic carbon, Available phosphorus, Potassium, calcium and magnesium.
The result showed that pH, Organic carbon, Total Nitrogen, Available Phosphorus exchangeable bases showed significant differences in the various soil profile. The texture of the soils was predominantly sandy soils in the study area. Significant positive and negative relationship were observed between the forms of phosphorus and some physical and chemical properties of soil. The soil properties such as soil pH, Sand, silt, Magnesium, Carbon, Sodium, Potassium, Total nitrogen, Available P and Total organic carbon in Pedon 2 was positively and significantly correlated with all the forms of P while on Pedon 5, Organic P was not correlated with pH, Sand, Silt, Clay, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Total Nitrogen, Available P and Total Organic carbon.
