Problems and Prospects of Soil Amendments for Soil and Water Conservation in Nigeria

Abstract

A soil amendment or conditioner is anything added to soil that improves its physical and chemical properties.  The aim of this study was to review the commonly used soil amendment in Nigeria,their effectiveness and the problems associated with their usage. The ease with which water and plant nutrients seeps beyond the plant root zone making it unavailable for plant growth and development is often corrected by applying amendments, the categories of soil amendments are broad, and may include organic amendments to change the texture of soil, fertilizers to boost the nutrient structure, cover crops to add aeration and drainage or even items that will change the pH of soil.  The common soil conditioners in Nigeria are: Cow dung, poultry litters, Goat yard manure (GYM) and compost. The challenges with the use of organic amendments without proper precaution are its tendency to cause pollution to land and water especially portable water. But to a large extent, the practice is highly economical and result oriented. Some soil amendments are extremely high in salts. They are to be used with caution. Plant-based composts are low in salt.

Keywords: Biofertilizer, Soil Conditioners, Soil Amendment, Soil Conservation, Water Management, Bioremediation, soil physical properties