LAND SUITABILITY CLASSIFICATION FOR SORGHUM (Sorghum bicolor L. moench) IN BUNKURE, KANO STATE, NIGERIA
LAND SUITABILITY CLASSIFICATION FOR SORGHUM (Sorghum bicolor L. moench) IN BUNKURE, KANO STATE, NIGERIA
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Date
2015-09
Authors
AHMED, Mohammed
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Abstract
The lack of sufficient and adequate information on soils characteristics is among the major limiting factors to agricultural development in Nigeria. The main aim of the study was to map out and generate soil database on the physicochemical characteristics for the cultivation of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolour (L.)) in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State. Fuzzy model and Multi Criteria Evaluation (MCE) were integrated for land evaluation. 51 soil samples from a grid map of the area at the depth of 0 - 30 cm were collected for this study. Spot 5 satellite image was used for the extraction of the landuse in the area. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and some selected physicochemical parameters which includes; pH, Calcium, Magnesium, Organic carbon, Sodium, Nitrogen, Cations Exchange Capacity, Potassium, Electric Conductivity and Phosphorus were used for the purpose of this study. Soil characteristics map of the area combined with the soil physicochemical parameters were subsequently integrated in Arc GIS 10.1 (version) to generate the land suitability map for the selected crop. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used in analyzing the weighting criteria for suitability class. The analysis shows that the area has been dominated by agricultural activities and the distribution of physicochemical parameters indicated that a pH value ranges from 2.90 - 9.66. The area is generally affected by low Sodium (Na) 0.01-0.23 and the moderate Nitrogen (N) and Cations Exchange Capacity (CEC) with 0.02-0.93 and 2.09-7.75 meq/100g respectively, moderately to high are Magnesium (Mg), Organic Carbon (OC), Sodium (Na), Calcium (Ca), Potassium (K), Electric Conductivity (EC) and Organic matter (OM) with 0.04-0.93ppm, 0-2ppm, 0.01-0.23ppm, 1.05-9.12ppm, 0.01-1.00 (cmol/kg) and 0.05-50.92(ds/m) respectively. The results for suitability analysis indicated that about 860.91 ha (8.6%) of land is highly suitable and 1712.15 ha (17.27%) of the area are moderately suitable. 2407.61 ha (24.29%) of the area was found to be marginally suitable while, 3568.67 ha (36.01%) of the land to be moderately suitable and 1361.88 ha (13.74%) to be unsuitable. It is concluded that the soil of the area is affected by salinity and low to moderate soil nutrients which can be controlled by proper management. The study recommended that there should be long time monitoring of the localized soils, proper use of fertilizer (organic and inorganic 50:50) by the farmers and further studies need to be carry out in the area on nutrient variability status using Multicriteria Evaluation (MCE) and Fuzzy logic
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA. IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTERS DEGREE IN REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, FACULTY OF SCIENCE AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
LAND SUITABILITY CLASSIFICATION,, SORGHUM,, (Sorghum bicolor L. moench),, BUNKURE,, KANO STATE,, NIGERIA