Determination of Sodium Exchangeable Percentages (ESP) and Organic Carbon in Sedimentary Soil in the Red Sea State - Sudan (Case Study: Toker Delta)

Red Sea State lies in arid and semi arid area in Sudan. Years ago the state exposed to several drought period, which led to physical and chemical deterioration of agricultural soil and change the characterization of arable soil.This study aims to assess deterioration in the sedimentary soils depends on ESP. and O.C. determination in Toker area as important agricultural project in all country and sedimentary soil, compared the results study with the previous studies. Samples were withdrawn from the three sides in study area: western Delta, central Delta and the eastern Delta. Nine samples were collected from the each zone. Standardized methods were used for estimating pH, Electrical conductivity (Ece), Exchangeable Sodium Percentages (ESP) and Organic Carbon (O.C). Also displays search to certain physical properties such as soil texture and color. Results of the soil analysis showed clear changes in all the mentioned areas, especially in western and eastern sides in Delta if we compared it with pervious study in Toker, the results was show the rise of ESP, EC, where the ESP reached more than 21 % in western, and close to 17 % in eastern area (high salinity). The central Delta (relatively high plainly area) ESP less than 8 %, the average of O.C. was 0.4 %, high level of Ece was 7.5 dsm-1 (medium salinity).These results mean that there is acute and rapid deterioration in these soils due to different and varied reasons (mentioned later), and rehabilitation of those sedimentary soils require great efforts. In field survey, there are clear effects of salts in surface soil in large area in all zones mentioned, the eastern region of the Delta has become barren, salty and has very little vegetation cover, soil type is sandy and there are scattered sandy dunes and gravels. The western region less affected by the east side, the central region is well established, agricultural activity and production are good.