Impact of Land Use and Agrochemicals on Quality Potential of Wetland Soils of Odeda Farm Institute, Eweje, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

A study was conducted to examine the impact of land use and agrochemicals on wetland soil quality of Odeda Farm Institute, Eweje, Ogun State, Nigeria. The land use types studied were maize, plantain, rice, vegetable, and fallow. Five profile pits were dug, four at agrochemicals applied fields and one at fallow field as control. The results showed that soil texture was not influenced by land use and agrochemicals. The particle size distribution data showed that the soils consisted of high sand content (>600 g/kg). Soil pH, organic carbon and total nitrogen were low at agrochemicals applied fields when compared with the fallow field. The reverse is the trend for available P which is low at the fallow field due to non application of phosphate fertilizer. The heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn) results differed significantly (p<0.05) between the agrochemicals applied fields and the fallow field. Soil nutrients depletion and heavy metal accumulation were very prominent under agrochemicals applied fields. However, the impact of land use and agrochemicals which mostly accounted for major changes in the soil quality indicators can be immediate or long term, and wetland users should take into consideration long effect of current land decisions.