EFFECT OF CONTRASTING AGRICULTURAL LAND USE SYSTEM ON SELECTED PROPERTIES OF THE COASTAL PLAIN SANDS OF OMERELU, IKWERRE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

This study investigated the effect of contrasting agricultural land use system on selected properties of the coastal plain sands of Omerelu in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Five (5) land use types were selected namely, Oil palm plantation, plantain plantation, cassava farm and Rubber plantation and Forested or uncultivated land. Soil samples were randomly collected from each land use type at a depth of 0-15 and 15 – 30cm and were processed for laboratory analysis. Results obtained indicated that bulk density was high (1.66 + 0.01 gcm3) and the bulk density (1.32 + 0.02 gcm3) was observed in the rubber plantation. Sand fractions dominated the particle size distributions, while clay contents were the least except in the plantain plantation (27.19 + 0.74) gcm3. It was also observed from the results that the different land use types affected the soil chemical properties in varying degrees and indicated in Fig. 1, 2, 3, and 4.