Characterization And Suitability Variation Between The Levee And Backswamp Of Floodplain With Respect To Rice Cultivation: A Case Study Of Ibaji Floodplain Soils In Kogi State Of Nigeria

Floodplain soils and the usual high fertility status have always drawn the attentions of agriculture experts towards their sustainable and optimum use and development. However, little attention has been drawn to possible fertility variations that occur along the landscape. Thus, this study was designed to ascertain variations that may occur between the levee and backswamp parts of floodplain, using Ibaji floodplain as a case study. The soil texture was sandy clay loam in the surface horizons while the soil bulk density varied between 1.24 and 1.20 g cm-3. The soil moisture content in levee surface soil was 54% as against the backswamp (11%). The soil pH of Backswamp is lower (3.8) while the highest organic carbon content was recorded in the levee (32.1 g kg-1). The available phosphorus ranged from 13.13 to 14.84 mg kg-1 while the levee recorded highest cation exchange capacity (14.69 cmolc kg-1). Coefficient of variation (CV) above 75% was expressed in silt, sand:silt ratio and soil moisture content while <2% CV was recorded for porosity. The suitability evaluation of the soils revealed that the levee soil was moderately suitable (S2) while the backswamp was marginally suitable ((S3) for rice cultivation. Keywords: Floodplain, Suitability, Rice, Characterization, Soil characteristics, pseudogley