An investigation into particulate soil quality materials and the relationship with selected aggregate stability in four contrasting soils

Contrasting reports have been given of the impact of cultivation (land use) on the soil nutrients, structural stability, particulate organic material quality and quantity. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate organic material quality and quantity and relationship with stability indices in four contrasting soils. Surface soil 0-25 cm depth was collected from four different types of soils in different locations and different land use. The soil samples were air dried and sieved through 2 mm sieve and use to determine the particulate organic matter (POM), Particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON), particulate organic phosphorous (POP) and structural stability of the soils using different indices. The result finding showed that particulate organic materials (POM, POC, PON, POP) and structural stability of the soils decreased in cultivated soils. Organic matter (OM) had highly significant (P < 0.01) positive correlation with OC, N and available P and non-significant (P < 0.05) positive correlation with POM, PON, POP, SA (state of aggregation), DA (degree of aggregation) and WSA (water stable aggregates). POC correlated positively and highly significant (P < 0.01) with PON and POP, while it had no significant correlation with SA, DA and WSA. The results of the study simply suggest that many other factors order than the assessed parameters and cultivation influenced the quantity and quality of particulate organic materials and the relationships between the assessed parameters.