Soils and Soil Management Practices in Tulube Catchment, Illubabor Highlands, Ethiopia
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Date
1998-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main objective of the study are characterization and classification of soils and
identification of the soil management practices and their implications to so il degradation in
Tu lube catchment, lII ubabor Highlands. Data on so il characteristics and classificat ion were
col lected under fie ld and laboratory procedu res. Aerial photo interpretations and fie ld
observations and mapping were used to obtain the land uselland cover of the study area.
Haplic, Rhodic, and Haplic Nitisols; Dystric Cambisols, Gleyic Aliso ls, Gleyic
Luviso ls and Umbric Gleyiso ls are identified in the study area. These so ils in genera l, were
marked by extremely to strongly acidic soi I reacti on, low to moderate BS, low to
intermediate/medium CEC as well as low avai lable P. The wetland so ils in the study
catchment showed G leyic propert ies as they are saturated for prolonged period.
Farmers revealed that they use a combination of the traditional and modern practices
of so il management. Each of these groups of practices has its own potentials and drawbacks.
The humid cl imatic cond itions, the gradual rise in demographic and soc io-economic
pressures, etc. lecl to the reduction in the so il fertility and product ivity.
The low pH and low BS as well as the availab le P fixation (to an unavai lable form to
growi ng plant roots) demand careful so il amendment so that so il product ivity could be
mainta ined to a better end. Unless such measures, the so ils in the study area are prone to
deteriorati on in the bio-chemical proper1ies that would fur1her led to degradati on in the rest
of the properties in the soils.
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Keywords
Soils and Soil Management Practices