Fertility Status of Soils at the Teaching and Research Farm of Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campus, Southeast Nigeria

A study was conducted to assess the fertility status of soils at the Teaching and Research Farm of Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campus, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Results obtained from analysis of ten composite surface soils samples (0-30 cm depth) from fifteen sampling points each per composite sample, revealed that the soils were largely loamy sand in texture, very strongly acidic (pH 5.2 5.4) and have high organic matter content (4.68 4.90 %). The electrical conductivity (EC) of the soils ranged from 0.051 to 0.055 dSm-1, which was low with the mean value of 0.053 dSm-1. The values of the total N content (0.10 0.12 %) and available P (4.70 5.18 mg/kg) were low. The exchangeable Ca, Na and K were low, the values ranged from 3.20 3.50 cmol/kg, 0.06 0.07 cmol/kg and 0.03 0.15 cmol/kg respectively. The exchangeable Mg ranged from 1.40 1.60 cmol/kg, which was at a high level. The effective cation exchange capacity of the soils ranged from 6.79 7.31 cmol/kg and it was low, while the base saturation ranged from 69.01 to 71.87 % which was at a high level, indicating availability of basic cations. The available micronutrients Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and B values ranged from 169.14 177.40 mg/kg, 1.30 1.70 mg/kg, 2.18 2.48 mg/kg, 5.08 5.88 mg/kg and 0.55 0.67 mg/kg respectively. Available Fe was high, followed by Zn, Mn, Cu and B. The soils were low in fertility and would require the use of fertilizers (organic and inorganic), cover crops to protect the soil surface against soils erosion and adequate use of lime to achieve the benefits of fertilizer application for sustainable crop production.