Soil characterisation and mapping for an agricultural environment in Federal University of Technology, Minna

The study characterised soil and mapped agricultural lands in north-central Nigeria to address the lack of detailed, geospatial soil data and classification within the agricultural environment of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, as it has been identified as obstructing sustainable land management, agricultural productivity, educational support, and research development. This process systematically involved field surveys, examinations, and laboratory analyses. This comprehensive study evaluated the soil quality, drainage, morphology, and physicochemical properties across the Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUT) Main Campus Teaching and Research Farm. By advanced techniques like gridding, soil examination, profile pit excavation, and laboratory analysis, the study delineated the farm into five distinct mapping units (FUT1, FUT2, FUT3, FUT4, and FUT5). It evaluated various soil attributes such as effective soil depth, texture, colour, drainage conditions, erosion evidence, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), and soil organic carbon content. Results showed notable variations among these units. FUT2, FUT3, and FUT5, characterised by higher slope gradients, exhibited the most susceptibility to erosion due to their soil properties and evident erosion features, whereas FUT1 and FUT4 displayed lower erosion potential with relatively stable soil properties. Soil conservation and proper land management practices should have been prioritised in the past and continue to be prioritised at present. Therefore, the soil mapping units are produced to achieve these targets and serve as a basis for further research at the study site. Ridging across the slopes at intervals will minimise soil erosion by water, and conservation tillage is encouraged.