Impact of drought on the physicochemical properties of a hydromorphic soil in Bouake (central Cote dIvoire)

Abstract

Abstract-Drought is a constraint that preoccupies the farming community in hydromorphic soils. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of drought on the physico-chemical properties of the hydromorphic soils of Bouaké. To do so, a soil profile 150 cm long and 75 cm wide, with 100 cm depth was opened and described. It is a hydromorphic Renkosol (arenic gleyic) soil that has developed under an equatorial four-season climate, including two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. It presents a temporary hydromorphy that varies with the seasons. The physicochemical analyzes show a soil that is not very acidic and very depleted of nutrients under the effect of drought, notably in nitrogen and phosphorus, in CEC as well as in exchangeable cations (K +, Mg ++ and Ca ++). However, the soil is rich in organic matter and the very high iron content exposes the area to iron toxicity. The presence of a water table around 70 cm attenuates the effects of the drought of the hydromorphic soil making it suitable for rainfed agriculture. This makes the hydromorphic soil of central Côte d'Ivoire a fragile ecosystem whose improvement of its nutritional quality can be done by the practice of the cultivation technique and an efficient fertilizer supply.