Evaluation of Physicochemical properties of Irrigated Soil

Abstract

Physical and chemical properties of irrigated soils were evaluated using standard methods. Soil properties varied according to farm. Moisture levels were low (1.00 ± 0.00 - 2.15 ± 0.01%). pH varied from slightly acidic (6.33 ± 0.08) to slightly alkaline (7.40 ± 0.06), and was within the range for optimum growth for plants.CEC ranged from 5.05 ± 1.00 to 17.73 ± 0.03 cmol/kg, and was within the range for most soils. OM contents (14.08 ± 0.10 - 24.37± 0.41%) were high in all the farms. Nitrogen (0.01 ± 0.00 - 0.09 ± 0.00 mg/kg) and phosphorus (0.09 ± 0.00 - 1.78 ± 0.01 mg/kg) contents were low and high respectively. Ca²⁺ concentration varied from 0.42 ± 0.05 to 5.64 ± 0.04 mg/kg. Mg²⁺ levels (1.81 ± 0.02 - 3.62 ± 0.01mg/kg) were below the optimum range for soils.  Clay (8-24%) and sand (64-82%) contents were relatively high. Irrigated soils were classified as sandy loamy. Significant and positive correlations (p ? 0.05) occurred for pH, OM and CEC.

Key words: physical, chemical, properties, irrigation, soil