CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS FOR SELECTED SITES IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Background: Soils in southern Ethiopia are under intensive cultivation, and low soil fertility is a major problem. However, very little is known about soil types and their inherent nature to support specific decisions on soil managements. Objective: To characterize and classify soils for three selected agricultural sites in southern Ethiopia. Methodology: The field morphological description and laboratory analysis were carried out to characterize, and classify the soils of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage in southern Ethiopia. A representative soil profile (2 m x 2 m x 2 m) was open at each site, for soil profile description. For each profile, soil samples were collected for each of the genetic horizons identified, and the samples were analyzed for their soil physicochemical properties. Results: The results showed that the surfaces of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage were strongly acidic, neutral, and moderately alkaline, respectively. The surface soil of Kokate had clay texture, a high content of micronutrients, cation exchange capacity and moderate base saturation, low soil organic carbon, and available phosphorus. The surface soil of Hawassa had loam texture, high base saturation, cation exchange capacity, and low levels of soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, and micronutrients. The surface soil of Alage had silt clay loam texture, high base saturation, cation exchange capacity, sodium content, and low soil organic carbon content, available phosphorus, and micronutrients. Based on WRB, the soils of Kokate, Hawassa, and Alage were classified as Vertic Luvisols with an argic diagnostic subsurface horizon, Haplic Cambisols with a cambic diagnostic subsurface horizon, and Calcaric Fluvisols with fluvic diagnostic material, respectively. Implications: The differences may suggest that site-specific soil fertility management is desired, and the results may provide basic information to design soil management options to improve land productivity. Conclusions: The present study showed three soil types and revealed their low nutrient content and different soil pH.