Soil fertility in land use for sustainable food crops production in the southern Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

For improving knowledge on soil physical and chemical properties and management in cassava as food crop production areas of Côte d’Ivoire, field survey was conducted in localities of Dabou in the southwest and Bingerville in the south of Abidjan city targeting three sites in each of the locality. After defining a topographic position of the cassava fields encountered, the soil composite samples were taken in 0-40 cm depth. Pits were opened on the slope and the profiles were described therein. The subsoil is most frequently used for the production of cassava, the main crop in these two regions. The results of analysis showed that the soils are chemically poor. The pH was strongly acidic, causing the problem of solubilization of the aluminum ions in soil solution as well as phosphorus availability. In addition, organic matter levels were low overall threatening the increase of the productivity of crops unless applying fertilizers. Soils can be described as of poor quality and almost unfit for sustainable cassava production according to its relatively demanding in organic matter.