Browsing by Author "Kileo,Emmanuel P."

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Land suitability assessment of the Wami plains in Morogoro, Tanzania with respect to the production of the main food crops and extensive grazing.
(Sokoine university of Agriculture, 2000) Kileo,Emmanuel P.
ABSTRACT A study was conducted at Wami Plains in Morogoro to assess the suitability of land for the production of the main food crops and for extensive grazing. Field land resources survey was conducted covering an area of 35,810 hectares. Soil profiles were excavated, studied and sampled for laboratory analysis. Soils of Wami Plains are mostly well drained,sandy clay loams, except on the valley bottoms, floodplains and mbuga where they are poorly drained. They have low to medium available water capacity (83 - 135 mm/m) except profile NYN-P7 which has high available water capacity (164 mm/m). The soils are generally poor in chemical fertility. The levels of nitrogen range from very low (0.04%) to low (0.17%) while those of organic carbon are between low (0.66%) to medium (1.46%). Available phosphorus contents range between low to medium (0.96-16 0 mg/kg) The level of micronutrients in these soils is adequate except for Zn which is rated as inadequate for most crops. The soils were classified according to both FAO-World Reference Base and USDA Soil Taxonomy systems. The FAO-WRB soil names with their mapping units in brackets are as follows: Chromi-Rhodic Cambisols and Hapli-Hypocalcic Calcisols (Alluvial fan); Rhodi-Profondic Lixisols (Ridge summits); Rhodi-Profondic Lixisols (Ridge slopes with red soils); Hypereutri-Ferralic Cambisols (Ridge slopes with sandy soils); Hypereutri-Mollic Fluvisols and Calcari-Mollic Cambisols (Valley bottoms); Chromi-Profondic Lixisols and Hapli-I-Iypocalcic Calcisols (Flats with red soils); Calcari-Mollic Fluvisols (Flats with sandy soils); Hypocalci-Endosodic Calcisols (Floodplains) and Endosodi-Pellic Vertisols (Mbuga). Three land utilisation types (LUTs) (maize, rice and extensive grazing) were selected for land suitability evaluation and the results of physical suitability evaluation are as follows: About 38% of the area was classified as moderately suitable, 44% marginally suitable and 18% physically not suitable for maize production. As for rice production, about 55% of the area was classified as marginally suitable and 45% is physically not suitable for the LUT. About 84% of the area was classified as moderately suitable for extensive grazing while only 16% is marginally suitable for the LUT. Major limitations in these soils are: nutrient availability and retention, moisture availability, flooding hazards, oxygen availability to roots and biological hazards.
Land suitability assessment of the Wami plains in Morogoro,Tanzania with respect to the production of the main food crops and extensive grazing.
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2000) Kileo,Emmanuel P.
ABSTRACT A study was conducted at Wami Plains in Morogoro to assess the suitability of land for the production of the main food crops and for extensive grazing. Field land resources survey was conducted covering an area of 35,810 hectares. Soil profiles were excavated, studied and sampled for laboratory analysis. Soils of Wami Plains are mostly well drained, sandy clay loams, except on the valley bottoms, floodplains and mbuga where they are poorly drained. They have low to medium available water capacity (83 - 135 mm/m) except profile NYN-P7 which has high available water capacity (164 mm/m). The soils are generally poor in chemical fertility. The levels of nitrogen range from very low (0.04%) to low (0.17%) while those of organic carbon are between low (0.66%) to medium (1.46%). Available phosphorus contents range between low to medium (0.96- 16 0 mg/kg) The level of micronutrients in these soils is adequate except for Zn which is rated as inadequate for most crops. The soils were classified according to both FAO- World Reference Base and USDA Soil Taxonomy systems. The FAO-WRB soil names with their mapping units in brackets are as follows: Chromi-Rhodic Cambisols and Hapli- Hypocalcic Calcisols (Alluvial fan); Rhodi-Profondic Lixisols (Ridge summits); Rhodi- Profondic Lixisols (Ridge slopes with red soils); Hypereutri-Ferralic Cambisols (Ridge slopes with sandy soils); Hypereutri-Mollic Fluvisols and Calcari-Mollic Cambisols (Valley bottoms); Chromi-Profondic Lixisols and Hapli-I-Iypocalcic Calcisols (Flats with red soils); Calcari-Mollic Fluvisols (Flats with sandy soils); Hypocalci-Endosodic Calcisols (Floodplains) and Endosodi-Pellic Vertisols (Mbuga) Three land utilisation types (LUTs) (maize, rice and extensive grazing) were selected for land suitability evaluation and the results of physical suitability evaluation are as follows: About 38% of the area was classified as moderately suitable, 44% marginally suitable and 18% physically not suitable for maize production. As for rice production, about 55% of the area was classified as marginally suitable and 45% is physically not suitable for the LUT. About 84% of the area was classified as moderately suitable for extensive grazing while only 16% is marginally suitable for the LUT. Major limitations in these soils are: nutrient availability and retention, moisture availability, flooding hazards, oxygen availability to roots and biological hazards.