LAND SUITABILITY EVALUATION FOR OIL PALM (Elaeis guineensis) CULTIVATION ON SOME SOILS OF ISUA COMMUNITY IN EDO STATE.

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out in Isua community of Edo State to evaluate some soils for oil palm cultivation.

Soil survey process was carried out on the farm site using the rigid grid method at a detailed scale, which produced four (4) mapping unit and each mapping unit was represented by a pedon. Soil samples were collected from each pedon and analyzed in the laboratory using standard procedures

The result of land suitability evaluation revealed that Pedons 1 and 2 representing 71.38 hectares which amounted to 55.37 % of the study area were not suitable (N₂ –pedon 1; N₁- pedon 2) for oil palm cultivation due to the limitation in soil physical characteristics(texture) , while pedons 3 and 4 occupying 56.73 hectares which amounted to 44.29 % of the study area were moderately suitable (S₂) due to limitation in soil physical characteristics (texture).

Based on the result above, I recommend that the area represented by Pedons 3 and 4 (56.73 hectares which amounted to 44.29 % of the study area) should be used for oil palm cultivation. The area represented by pedons 1 and 2 (71.38 hectares which amounted to 55.37 % of the study area) should not be used for oil palm cultivation but could be used for cultivation of other crops or for other purposes whose requirements can accommodate the limitations of this area.