ABSTRACT
This study was conducted at Iguzama Community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. This was to identify some of the major soils of the project area, through a mapping process, and expressed on a soil map. The soils were classified using both the local and international classification systems. Also, the soils were evaluated for the cultivation of oil palm.
The methodology involved mapping of the soils of 115 hectares of land at Iguzama Community, using the rigid grid soil survey method. Four mapping units were delineated from the 10 transects of 100 m apart and 100 m interval which served as examination points along thetransects, making a total of 112 auger points. Four representative pedons were sunk, described and sampled. Soil samples were analyzed using standard methods. The soils were classified according to two international systems of soil classification viz; USDA Soil Taxonomyfollowing the guidelines provided by Soil Survey Staff and World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB). Series classification was done using Mossclassification, as updated by Ogunkunle. Oil palm suitability evaluation was done using the required guidelines.
The results showed that Pedon 1, covering 19.35 hectares or 16.75% of the area, was classified as Loamy Kaolinitic Isohyperthermic Rhodic Kandiudult; Haplic Nitic Acrisol (Rhodic, Orthodystric) and as Orlu series (normal). The soils of pedon 2, covering 18.35 hectares or 15.88% of the area, were classified as Sandy Kaolinitic Isohyperthermic Arenic Rhodic Kandiudult; NiticAcrisol (Rhodic, Arenic) and as Orlu series (sandy variation). Pedon 3 soils, covering27.5 hectares or 23.8% of thearea, were classified according to USDA as Loamy Kaolinitic Isohyperthermic Rhodic Kandiudult; Nitic Acrisol (Rhodic, Hyperdystric)and as Orlu series (clay variation). Pedon 4 soils, covering 50.34 hectares or 43.57% of the area, were classified as Loamy Kaolinitic Isohyperthermic Typic Rhodudult; Haplic Nitic Acrisol (Rhodic, Nudiargic) andas Orlu series (normal). The USDA soil system of classification was found to be easier, more precised and detailed in its classification than WRB system. Its major advantage is its global application. For the oil palm suitability evaluation, 97.2 ha or 84.12% of the land (covering pedons 1, 3, and 4) was found to be marginally suitable while 18.4 ha or 15.88% (covering pedon 2) was permanently not suitable because of some serious soil constraints (fertility and soil texture).
