ABSTRACT
Waterlogging is the major obstacle against sustainable agriculture. Plants subjected to waterlogging suffer from substantial yield losses, suffocation and reduced growth. Plants growing on waterlogged soils face the stressful environment in terms of deficiency of O2 or absence of O2.
The study is conducted to determine the nutrient status of a waterlogged soil in Uwelu, Egor, Benin city. The experiment was replicated twice (three samples were taken in a flooded area at a particular point of depths 0-15cm, 15-30cm, 30-60cm and three samples were taken in an unflooded area at a particular point of depths 0-15cm, 15-30cm, 30-60cm), air dried for 48hours and then soil testing was done.
The results of the texture classes in the unflooded and flooded in Uwelu, Egor LGA showed that in the locations and depths, the sand texture classes were dominated by sand, clay and silt respectively but mostly predominated by sand. Evaluation of the physical properties revealed that all showed significant difference of P< 0.05 between unflooded soils and flooded soils. Soil textural classes appeared similar in all locations and across depths, assessment of chemical properties of the soil samples showed significant difference in OC, AV-P, Ca, K and TEA while the others were not significantly different at P< 0.05.
It is concluded that the level of depletion and addition of soil properties can be connected to the level and duration of flooding and the slope of the affected areas. It is recommended that flooded areas be put to arable farming and should also be connected to forest plantations since trees show flood tolerance for cultivation in flooded areas as this will go a long way in enhancing forest conservation.
