ABSTRACT
This study was designed to investigate “Nutrient Dynamics of Topsoil under Rubber Plantation of Different Ages in Iyanomo, Edo State, Nigeria”. The objectives of the study are to determine the status of selected physiochemical properties of the topsoil in each rubber plantation, to ascertain variation in the physiochemical properties of the topsoil among the various rubber plantations, to determine the factors affecting soil physio-chemical contents, to determine the predominant topsoil nutrients in the rubber plantations and to examine the implication of the variation existing among the physiochemical properties of the rubber plantations.
The student t-test and ANOVA results showed that there was significant difference and variation between and among the rubber plantations. The findings of this study shows that certain soil nutrients exhibit the same pattern of nutrient dynamics; e.g. primary forest had the highest mean value of silt followed by 0-5yrs rubber plantation while 10-15yrs had a significant drop in silt and a significant increase was recorded in above 35 years rubber plantation; The reverse was recorded for clay. Water repellency, P, SOM, TOC, T.N, Ca, Mg, and Na; all had their highest mean values in primary forest, followed by 0-5yrs, 10-15yrs and lowest in above 35 years rubber plantations. K, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, E.A, and CEC had their highest mean values in 0-5yrs rubber plantation, followed by primary forest, 10-15yrs and lowest in above 35yrs rubber plantation.
