Effect of Irrigation on Soil Properties in Jakara Kano, Nigeria

Soil samples from the Jakara irrigation project site were evaluated with respect to possible degradation caused by irrigation. Most of the soils were neutral to alkaline with pH values ranging between 6.58 + 0.04 and 10.45 + 0.03. The electrical conductivity ranged from 0.3 + 0.01 to 75.2 + 0.06 dSm-1 which implies low to very high salinity. The concentrations of the exchangeable cations in the soils follow the order Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ with respective concentrations of 8.70 + 0.4 to 187.8 + 0.5 cmolcKg-1, 1.06 + 0.05 to 5.49 + 0.05 cmolcKg-1, 0 to 15 + 0.05 cmolcKg-1 and 0.36 + 0.02 to 2.73 + 0.05 cmolcKg-1. It was noted that Na+, a non-essential cation is dominant in the soil samples. The results showed ESP values much greater than 15% for all the soil samples studied which implies high soil degradation. The available P and C:N ratios ranged from 1.0 + 0.01 to 4.9 + 0.06?gg-1 and 0.2 to 11.0 respectively while the available K ranged from 8 + 0.02 to 138 + 6?gg-1 . It was observed that less than 17% of the total K was available for plant uptake. The soil was noted to be clayey in nature with CEC values ranging between 20 + 2 and 86 + 5 cmolcKg-1 with a ranking model indicating low fertility indices.

REFERENCES 
Agbenin, J. O. (1995 a) Laboratory Manual For Soil and Plant Analysis (Selected methods and data analysis). Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture/ Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Agbenin, J. O. (1995 b) The phosphorus sorption by three Alfisols as influenced by pH. Fertilizer Res. 44, 107- 112.
Aseyeva, I. V. and Velikzhanina, G. A. (1966) Extraction and characterization of humus. Can. J. Soil Sci. 54, 317- 24.
 Awotundun, E. F. (1973) Soil Analysis: A Manual for the Soil- Water Laboratory. Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kano, Nigeria. pp. 27-61
Ayers, R. S. and Westcot, D. W. (1985) Water Quality For Agriculture. Irrigation and Drainage Paper 29 Rev. 1. FAO, Rome.
Bichi, M. H. (2000) Surface water quality in the Kano industrial environment. In: Issues in land administration and development in Nothern Nigeria. PATMAG Press. Ibadan, Nigeria.pp 304- 313.
Briggs, D. (1993) Agriculture and environment. The Physical Geography of Temperate Agricultural Systems. Longman Scientific and Technical. Essex, England.
Davies, D. B., Eagle, D. J. and Finney, J. B. (1972) Soil Management. Farming Press, Ipswich.
Essiet, E. U. and Ajayi A. O. (2000) An evaluation of groundwater quality of shallow boreholes used for Fadama irrigation in Hadejia Valley Project (Phase 1) Jigawa State, Nigeria. In: Issues in land administration and development in Nothern Nigeria. PAT- MAG Press. Ibadan, Nigeria.
FEPA (1990) Proposed National Effluent Limitation, Gaseous emission and Hazardous Solid Wastes Management for Industries in Nigeria. Federal Environmental Protection Agency, Nigeria. In: Issues in land administration and development in Nothern Nigeria. PATMAG Press.
Ibadan, Nigeria. Gladushko V. I. (1979) Broading the production of fertilisers and their effects on the environment. Khim. Tekhnol. 6, 3- 5.
Ibrahim, S. A. and Dikko, A. U. (1999) Evaluation of soils in Wurno Irrigation Project Area with respect to salinity and sodicity hazards. J. Sustain. Agric. Environ. 1, 256- 261.
Landon, J. R. (1991) Booker Tropical Soil Manual. Longman Group, England. PP. 106- 144.
Larson, W. E. and Pierce, F. J. (1991) Conservation and enhancement of soil quality in evaluation for sustainable land management in the developing world. Vol. 2 Technical Papers. Thailand International Board for soil research and Management, Bangkok, Thailand. IBSRAM Proceedings No. 12 (2).
MAFF (1988) Fertilizer Recommendations. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Reference Book 209. HMSO, London. Ministry of Commerce and Industry (1990) 1950-1989 Commercial and Industrial Activities Records. Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Kano State, Nigeria.
Ogunwole, J. O.; Yaro, D. T., Miko, S. and Abubakar, I.U. (2001) Changes in Soil Properties Under Different Practices at an Irrigation Site at Kadawa, Nigeria, J. Pure and Appl. Sci. 4, 32- 36
 Olofin, E. A. (1991) Prospects and Problems of Irrigation in Kano State (The Report of a Ford Foundation Sponsored Research ). 106 Effect of Irrigation on soil Department of Geography, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria.
Pitty, A. F. (1979) Geography and soil properties. University Press, Cambridge, London. Ramalingam, S. T. (1993) Modern Biology. Africana-FEP Publishers Ltd, Onitsha, Nigeria in association with FEP International Pte Ltd, Singapore.
Rowell, D. L. (1994) Soil Science; methods and applications. Longman Publishers (Pte) Ltd, Singapore. pp 9-159.
Shukla, U. C. and Ibrahim, M. W. (1988) Distribution of different forms of potassium in some inceptisols and vertisols of Borno State of Nigeria. Annals of Borno 13/14, 369- 373.
 UNDP. (1978) Sewage and Drainage Project Master Plan. Annex C. United Nations Development Project, NIR/75/102.
USEPA. (1976) Quality criteria for water. United States Environmental Protection Agency. United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., U.S.A.
 Youdeowei, A., Fred, O. C. E. and Onazi, C. O. (1986) Introduction to Tropical Agriculture. Longman, England, pp 34- 87.