Molybdenum availability and some physico-chemical properties of the soils of different parent materials in Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The level of 0.2M NH4oxalate extractable molybdenum (Mo), and physico chemical properties of surface (0-20) and subsurface (20-50cm) soil samples were determined from fifteen different locations representing Alluvium, Basement complex and Sandstone parent materials in Adamawa State. The mean available Mo was 0.051 for the surface, and 0.050 mgkg^-1 for the subsurface soils There was a significant (P<0.05) variation in Mo levels among the parent materials. The mean Mo level was highest (0.062) in surface soil derived from Alluvium and lowest (0.035 mgkg^-1) in subsurface soil derived from Sandstone. The Mo correlated positively and significantly (P<0.05) with available P and total N in surface soils. The soils were strongly acidic (5.45) to slightly alkaline (7.79) in reaction and were non-saline (Ec = 0.02-0.17mScm^-1). The organic carbon content of the soils ranged from 0.48 to 2.99 gkg^-1 with the mean value of 1.06 gkg^-1 for the surface and 0.11 to 0.93 gkg^-1 with the mean value of 0.55 gkg^-1 for the subsurface. The ECEC ranged from 3.22 to 42.94 Cmol(+)kg^-1 with the mean value of 17.29 Cmol(+)kg^-1 for surface and 4.36 to 50.24 Cmol(+)kg^-1 with the mean of 20.67 Cmol(+)kg^-1 for subsurface. Available P was low (<7.0 mgkg^-1) irrespective of depth, likewise total N was low in both surface and subsurface soils. The results indicated low Mo levels in the soils.