Micronutrients Characterization of Soils of Basalt Parent Material in Ikom, Cross River State Nigeria for Sustainable Crop Production

Abstract

Micronutrients are essential elements that are used by plants in small quantities. For most micronutrients, crop uptake is less than 1.11 kg per hectare. In spite of this low requirement, critical plant functions are limited if micronutrients are unavailable, resulting in plant abnormalities reduced growth and lower yield. Therefore a Pedological study was conducted in soils derived from basalt parent material in Ikom, Cross River Nigeria to characterize the micronutrients of the soils for sustainable crop production. A total of 500 ha of land were surveyed using the rigid grid format and three mapping units were delineated based on similarities and differences observed in the morphological properties from the augured points. Profile pits were dug in the identified mapping units. The pits were sampled and taken to the laboratory for analyses. From the analytical results the characteristics of the soils ranged as follows: soil pH, 4.2 to 5.0, extractable Fe, 12.30 to 20.10 mg kg^_1, extractable Mn, 3.60 to 36.80 mg kg^_1, extractable Cu, 3.90 to 7.30 mg kg^_1 and extractable Zn, 7.00 to 27.30 mg kg^_1. The implications of the analytical results were discussed. For sustainable crop production to be achieved in the mapping units studied, it is suggested that organic manure should be incorporated into the soils.