EFFECTS OF TILLAGE OPERATIONS ON THE PROPERTIES OF AN ALFISOL ON THE JOS PLATEAU, NIGERIA

Abstract

One of the major constraints to sustainable agriculture on the Jos Plateau is soil erosion. This is due to the nature of the topography of the area. Most smallholders in the area carry out tillage operations for many purposes. These include ridging across slopes to control erosion, seed bed preparations and weed control, among other operations that are done manually by using hoes. This study was conceived to determine the effects of tillage operations on some of the physical and chemical properties of the Alfisols, which are the most widely cultivated soils in the area. Two types of soil data were collected: Soil profile pits’ data and surface soil data. Standard procedures were employed in the detailed laboratory determinations of soil properties. The results show that tillage operations have led to significant differences in both soil physical and chemical characteristics of the soils. Despite the fact that the conventional tillage has been practised just for only four years, the results here show that tillage practices have significantly affected the organic matter, total N, exchangeable Ca, K, Mg contents and CEC of the soils. Perhaps, this is as a result of rapid decomposition under minimum and conventional tillage due to aeration and oxidation. Therefore, tillage practices need to be carried out with caution because soils in the tropical environments generally experience the reduction of organic matter and are susceptible to degradation because of such practices.