Implication Of Reduced Soil Ph On Sustainable Food Production In Omoku Community Of Rivers State, Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis Of The Ph Of Natural And Chemical Fertilizer- Enriched Soils
Keywords:
pH, fertilizer, soil, pH meter, OmokuAbstract
An experimentat was conducted to examine the implication of pH of Natural and Fertilizerenriched Soils on sustainable food Production in Omoku, an Oil Pruducing Community in Rivers State, Nigeria. 1.0g each of three soil samples collected at three different locations in Omoku oil producing community in Rivers State was diluted with 1.0ml distilled water. The pH of the soil slurry was determined using an automated pH meter after calibrating with known standard K2PO4 buffer solution. A mean pH of 6.03 and 5.4 were recorded for natural and fertilizerenriched soils respectively. The findings revealed that natural soils in Omoku have low pH indicating slight acidity, mean pH of 6.03; while fertilizer-enriched soils is strongly acidic with a mean pH of 5.4. It was recommended among others that Organic fertilizers should be used as these nourish soil organisms, which in turn slowly and steadily make minerals available to plants.
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