ASSESSMENT OF MICRONUTRIENTS STATUS OF DAMATURU SOILS OF YOBE STATE, NIGERIA

Micronutrients play a vital role in gene expression, biosynthesis of protein, nucleic acids, growth substances, metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids through their involvement in various plant enzymic systems and other physiologically active molecules Generally, studies on micronutrients status of northern Nigeria Savanna soils is scanty. Accordingly, several researches advocate the need for assessing the micronutrients status of soils. This will ensure a more economic utilization of the soil resources by the resource-poor farmers and help in the government's drive towards food sufficiency. Thus, a study was conducted during the dry season of 2016 at the New Research Farm (NRF) of College of Agriculture, Gujba, located in Damaturu state capital of Yobe State, Nigeria. A total of 12 composite soil samples were collected at 0-15 and 15-30 cm depths from six different, purposively selected representative locations in Damaturu LGA of Yobe State, Nigeria. Standard laboratory methods were used to determine the physical and chemical properties of the soil samples. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics (mean value) and soil parameters were computed and employed to compare the results with the relevant findings. Critical limits for interpreting levels of soil fertility were adopted from Esu (1991). The result of the present study indicates that the soils were generally sandy loam in nature. Most of the macronutrient found under the neutral value of slightly acidic. The total N and the available P of the study site indicate medium while the available K indicate high content respectively. The micronutrients were mostly found within the safe zone or rather a medium category with the exception of Mn which was found to be in the low category of fertility rating. This implies that the soils contain insufficient Mn for successful agriculture in the area studied and could be a limiting factor to successful crop production in the area. It is suggested that for sustainable arable crop production on the soils studied, there is, therefore; the need for application of organic matter to improve the overall fertility of the soil and to formulate organo-mineral amendments that would enhance in particular, Mn availability.