ABSTRACT
This research was carried out at BDPA Benin City, in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria, to determine the forms and distribution of cation (Mg and Ca) and micronutrients in soils from 2 different arable farms. 24 soil samples were collected using an soil auger. It was a factorial experimental design of 2 x 4 x 3 i.e. four different depths (0-30, 30-60, 60-90, 90-120) replicated three times. The correlation analysis showed that as the silt content increased, the forms of Ca and Mg reduced. On the other hand, sand, clay, total N, avail P, organic matter, K, and Na all correlated significantly with the forms of Mg and Ca in this study. In both farms, the pH reduced with depth with the highest pH at the top soil and the lowest at the 90 – 120 cm soil. The soils therefore were very strongly acidic and extremely acidic respectively. The soils of the yam farm were slightly less acidic than those of the Cassava farm with grand means of 4.37 and 4.15 respectively. On the basis of this established critical level, the soils were below adequate in Mg. The low values in basic cations levels could be attributed to the type of parent material, high rainfall, erosion, and leaching. The low pH was an indicator that cation levels in the soil were going to be low. The low amount of CEC in the land types could be attributed to low organic matter and high weathering. Calcium and magnesium were very low to low in the soils studied. The low values in basic cation levels could be attributed to the type of parent material, high rainfall, erosion, and leaching. Magnesium and calcium deficiencies are usually only found in acid, sandy soils like those of the farmlands studied in this research. Hence proper soil amendment practices should be carried out to improve the fertility status of the soils.
