Availability of Boron, Sulfur and Zinc and Status of other Selected Soil Properties Under Acidic Soils of Different Land Use Types: The Case of WayuTuka District, East Wollega Zone

摘要

The availability of macro- and micro-nutrients in acidic soil areas are one of the important factorscontrolling the productivity of soil. Assessing land use induced changes on soil properties and nutrientsavailability are essential for addressing the issues of agro ecosystem transformation and sustainable agriculturalproductivity.The study was conducted during 2016 on the availability of boron (B), sulfur(S) and zinc(Zn)) andstatus of other selected soil properties in acidic soils of WayuTuka District. Representative composite top soilsamples (0-30) cm depth were collected and analyzed using standard laboratory procedures at Nekemte SoilResearch Center Laboratory and Addis Ababa University Chemistry laboratory for selected soil properties andavailability of B, S and Zn. One way ANOVA was employed to compare the components of soil parameterscollected from different land uses and localities. The concentrations of B, S and Zn in soil samples weredetermined using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer for Zn andhot water for extractable B and S inrelation to some chemical properties of the representative soils. The result of soil pH indicated that forest,farming and grazing lands were strongly acidic (pH<5.5) soils. The highest average mean values of 0.89±0.13,1.53±0.23 to 0.99±0.14 and 9.31±0.95 to 10.08±0.2 of Zn, B and S, respectively observed under forest land andlowest values 0.12 ± 0.001 to 0.13 ± 0.001 and3.92±0.04 to 4.27± 0.04 of B and S, respectively observed in thefarming land. The soil pH (H2O) of all land use types were ranged from 4.63 to 5.54 and rated as very stronglyacidic. The availability of Zn, B, S and other selected soil properties (OM, N, OC, Bulk density, C: N ratio, soilstructure, texture of soils under different land use types were non uniformly varied with the soil pH. Therefore,due attention shall be given to enhance the availability of basic macro- and micro-nutrients so that to minimizethe soil acidity for high productivity of the soil of present study site in particular and other similar agroecologicalzones in general.