article · EURASIAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE (EJSS)
An assessment of soils across the Yikalo Subwatershed in the Lay Gayint district of Northwestern Ethiopia provides detailed data on local soil classification and fertility characteristics. Field evaluations along topographic positions and laboratory analyses examined genetic horizons for physical and chemical traits. Soil reaction across the area ranged from strongly acidic to slightly acidic, with pH values between 4.57 and 6.42. Surface horizons showed available phosphorus levels between 0.21 and 3.25 milligrams per kilogram and exchangeable acidity between 0.17 and 3.65 centimoles per kilogram. Cation exchange capacity and percent base saturation showed no consistent patterns across depths or topography. The surveyed soils were classified into five distinct groups: Hyperdystric Cambisols, Haplic Alisols, Cambic Umbrisols, Haplic Luvisols, and Pellic Vertisols. Addressing acidity and low fertility with appropriate organic and inorganic inputs is recommended to support crop yields.
Agricultural planning and sustainable land management require accurate baseline information on soil chemistry and landscape variations. By mapping specific constraints such as high acidity and low available phosphorus in the Ethiopian highlands, this research highlights the precise nutrient and pH management interventions needed to improve local soil health and increase crop yields.
The findings offer early-stage baseline data that agricultural extension services, input suppliers, and regional land-use planners can use to formulate site-specific fertiliser and liming programmes. While the research is diagnostic rather than a direct commercial product, local agronomists and soil amendment providers could apply these soil profiles to design targeted soil-correction inputs for farmers in the Lay Gayint district.
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Soil resource information is vital for sound land use planning and sustainable fertility management. This study was carried out with the objective of characterizing and classifying soils of Yikalo Subwatershed at Lay Gayint district, Northwestern Ethiopia. Representative soil pedons were opened along topographic positions and described on genetic horizon basis in the field for their morphological characteristics and analyzed in the laboratory for selected physical and chemical soil properties. The soils were classified following the FAO (2014). The results revealed the presence of variations in the selected morphological properties within a pedon and along the topographic positions. Soils differed in reaction from 4.57 to 6.42. On the surface horizons of the soil pedons, available P content varied from 0.21 to 3.25 mg kg -1 , while exchangeable acidity ranged from 0.17 to 3.65 cmol c kg -1 soil. There was no consistent trend for cation exchange capacity (CEC) and PBS (percent base saturation) with soil depth and topographic positions. The soils in Yikalo Subwatershed were classified as Hyperdystric Cambisols (Humic), Haplic Alisols (Humic), Cambic Umbrisols (Colluvic) , Haplic Luvisols (Epidystric), and Pellic Vertisols ( Mesotrophic). Optimum rates of organic and inorganic amendments should be applied to reduce the level of soil acidity, and improve the fertility level of the soils for better crop production and productivity.
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DOI: 10.18393/ejss.376267
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