Relationship Between Soil Organic Matter and Some Physical Properties in Selected Soils of the Oil Palm Belt of Nigeria

Abstract

Organic matter is related to all plant nutrients and is a major contributor to tropical soils cation exchange capacity. Its relationship with soils physical properties is currently undermined. Its deliberate inclusion in soils can be used to reverse soil compaction due to high bulk density with improved soil structure and texture. Its relationship with some physical properties such as bulk density, total porosity, particle size distribution (texture) and moisture content was studied in selected soils of the oil palm belt of Nigeria to determine the influence of organic matter on these properties. Such information will assist in the proper management of the soils physical properties for improved organic matter content of soils under oil palm. Results indicated that there was a significant difference in the sand and silt contents due to the influence of the soils parent materials with higher values of sand (870.70 g/kg) recorded in soils under coastal plain sand while higher values of silt (52.70 g/kg) were recorded in soils under alluvium. Soils under basement complex rocks had the highest clay (116.40 g/kg) contents and bulk density values (1.85 gcm -3 ). Highest moisture (75.66 %) content was recorded in soils under alluvium while the highest total porosity values were recorded in soils under shale mixed with sandstone and clay. The study concludes that sand and silt contents had positively significant correlations with organic matter of the soils. It is recommended that organic materials and residues from the oil palm biomass be ploughed back constantly to these soils for improved soil structure, porosity, moisture content and bulk density of the soils.