September 2016

Variability of soil organic carbon with landforms and land use in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania

This study was carried out to assist in the formulation of conservation technologies for landscape sustained productivity in the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. Conventional soil survey methods were used to develop a base map on which 55 soil profile pits were randomly located on representative landforms and land use mapping units. Soil samples were collected from topsoils for soil carbon analysis using the wet digestion...

Author(s): Joel Loitu Meliyo, Balthazar, M. Msanya, Didas Nahum Kimaro, Boniface Hussein John Massawe, Proches, Hieronimo LothS. Mulungu, Jozef Deckers and Hubert Gulinck

September 2016

Sulphate sorption and desorption characteristics of selected Malawi soils

The soils selected for this study represented major soil types in Malawi. They exhibited a wide range of physical and chemical properties. Their pH values ranged from 4.7 to 6.7 and their contents of clay fraction (<0.002 mm) ranged from 170 to 500 g kg-1, organic matter from 6.7 to 39.3 g kg-1, free Fe2O3 from 18.9 to 44.7 g kg-1, and free Al2O3 from 17.8 to 45.6 g kg-1. The soils varied widely in their SO4 sorption...

Author(s): J. H. A. Maida and P. C. Nalivata  

September 2016

Farmers perception on soil fertility status of small- scale farming system in southwestern Ethiopia

Soil is one of the most essential natural resources. That is why soil fertility management is a major global concern. The current study in Delta sub-watershed was conducted to assess farmer’s perception on soil fertility status of small holder farming system under different land uses, Enset (Ensete ventricosum) farm, grazing and agricultural land. Both secondary and primary data were collected through direct field...

Author(s): Bahilu Bezabih, Mulugeta Iemenih and Alemayehu Regassa