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Application of Erodibility Nomograph in the Assessment of Soil Erosion in Two Different Agro-ecological Zones
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  • ENYA AKPA,
  • PAUL OKON-INYANG,
  • MICHAEL OTU,
  • SUNDAY AFU,
  • OLIM MICHAEL
ENYA AKPA
University of Calabar Faculty of Agriculture

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PAUL OKON-INYANG
University of Calabar Faculty of Agriculture
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MICHAEL OTU
University of Calabar Faculty of Agriculture
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SUNDAY AFU
University of Calabar Faculty of Agriculture
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OLIM MICHAEL
University of Calabar Faculty of Agriculture
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Abstract

This study highlights application of erodibility nomograph to assess soil erosion in central and northern agro-ecological zones of Cross River State, Nigeria. Seventeen composite soil samples were collected from sites showing moderate to severe erosion problems to the depth of 0-30 cm with the use of soil auger by random sampling and analyzed using standard laboratory procedures. Results showed that the particle size analysis was coarse textured soils with high sand content giving dominant textural classes of sandy loam in central and loamy sand texture in northern agro-ecological zones. The soil separates were predominantly silt content in central and medium sand in the northern agro-ecological zones with mean values of 29.5 % and 26.3 %. The erodibility using nomograph showed low to medium (0.10 – 0.19 Mg ha-1 MJ mm-1) in the central and medium (0.20 – 0.29 Mg ha-1 MJ mm-1) in the northern agro-ecological zones with high CV (%) of 52.4 % in the central and 118.2 % in the northern agro-ecological zones suggesting erodible soils. Soil conservation measures such as contouring, mulching and cover cropping should be adopted to address and combat soil erosion to avoid serious soil erodibility.