article · International Journal Of Scientific Advances
An assessment of land in Tula, Gombe State, Nigeria, evaluated the suitability and sustainability of different slope positions for sorghum cultivation. Soil samples taken at a depth of zero to thirty centimetres across upper, middle, and lower slopes revealed loamy sand textures, bulk density under 1.6 megagrams per cubic metre, and slightly acidic to neutral pH levels. Soil organic carbon and exchangeable cations were moderate to high on upper and lower slopes but lower on middle slopes. Overall, land across all positions was rated as marginally suitable for sorghum. Upper and lower slopes demonstrated moderate sustainability, whereas middle slopes required high inputs to achieve sustainability. Major agronomic constraints include steep slopes, sandy soil texture, and low levels of organic carbon and total nitrogen. Sustainable production can be supported through organic and inorganic fertilisers, agroforestry, technology adoption, and effective irrigation.
Land degradation in tropical farming regions threatens long-term food security. Assessing soil conditions across varying slope gradients allows agricultural planners and local farmers to target interventions effectively. Understanding specific nutrient deficiencies and physical soil constraints helps prevent land degradation, optimises fertiliser and irrigation investments, and sustains sorghum yields under challenging landscape conditions.
This early-stage research provides baseline soil suitability data that agricultural extension services, input suppliers, and local farm managers can use to design targeted land management programmes. Tailored packages combining fertilisers, agroforestry practices, and irrigation equipment could be developed for farmers working on sloped tropical terrain. However, practical commercial tools or products are not yet established, meaning further field trials are needed before direct commercial deployment.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Land suitability and sustainability evaluation for crop production is important in the control of land degradation in a tropical environment. The current study aims to evaluate land suitability and sustainability for sorghum production in Tula, Gombe State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from upper, middle, and lower slope positions at 0-30 cm depth and analyzed in the laboratory. The results indicated that the soil texture was loamy sand and bulk density values were <1.6 Mg m-3, while the soil pH was slightly acid to neutral. SOC was rated medium in the upper and lower slopes (>10 g kg-1) and low (<10 g kg-1) in the middle slope. The exchangeable cations were medium to high in the upper and lower slopes, and medium on the middle slope. The suitability/sustainability assessment, cumulative rating index (CRI), was in order of upper > lower > middle slope. Soils in the upper and lower slopes were marginally suitable (S3) and sustainable S2 (CRI= 23 & 22), while those in the middle slope were marginally suitable (S3) and sustainable with high inputs S3 (CRI= 25) for sorghum production. The major agronomic constraints were soil texture, steep slope, low organic carbon, and total nitrogen, particularly in the middle slope, which may have affected sorghum production on a sustainable basis. Management practices such as the application of organic and inorganic fertilizer, technology adoption, effective irrigation, and agroforestry will enhance sorghum sustainability and impede land degradation.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.51542/ijscia.v6i4.26
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
