African Journal of Soil Science

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Land Use Effects on the Electrochemical Environment and Nutrient Availability of Tropical Oxisols

Risely Ferraz de Almeida*, Isabel Dayane de Sousa Queiroz, Fernanda Pereira Martins, Henrique Amorim Machado, Joseph Elias Rodrigues Mikhael, Elias Nascentes Borges and Beno Wendling

Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Institute de Ciências Agrárias, CEP: 38400-902 - Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Accepted 25 November, 2025

Management and land use is one of the practices that tend to modify the chemical characteristics of the topsoil by tillage and deployment of diverse cultures isolated or consortium. From this perspective, the objective of this study was to evaluate changes in the availability of cations (calcium, aluminum and magnesium) and influence the potential of zero charge and the point and salt effect null in oxisols under different management systems and use (preserved Cerrado, eucalyptus monoculture, corn under no-tillage and pasture with baquiária grass) in the Triângulo Mineiro region. Noting that the use and soil management changes the electrochemical conditions and a correlation between the availability of calcium and magnesium, with potential of zero charge and the point and salt effect null of the soils, but shows no correlation with the organic matter for the Cerrado soils in use with corn, pasture, eucalyptus and native Cerrado vegetation.

Key words: Nutrients, potential of zero charge, point of zero salt effect, Cerrado.
 

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Environmental Surveillance of Infectious Pathogens in the Aftermath of the 2012 Thailand Floods

Supattra Suwanmanee¹ and Natthanej Luplertlop²*

¹Department of Tropical Pathology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

²Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

Accepted 19 October, 2025

Fungi and bacteria in water samples taken from various flooded areas in Narathiwat Province, Thailand, were investigated. They were isolated by filtration from water samples, and identified by examining macroscopic and microscopic features for fungi and using biochemical methods for bacteria. Nine species of filamentous fungi and two yeast species were isolated. Water contaminated with dermatophytes contained Trichophyton mentagrophytes (44%), Trichophyton rubrum (19%) and Microsporum canis (15%). The yeast Candida albicans was also found (75.5%). Water samples were contaminated with fungi, identified as non-cutaneous mycoses. The dominant fungi were Aspergillus niger (73%), Cladosporium spp. (58%) and Aspergillus flavus (41%). Thirteen bacterial strains were isolated from the samples; Gram-negative bacteria were most prevalent. The three dominant Gram- negative bacteria were Escherichia coli (62.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (61%) and Enterobacter spp. (59.5%). The two most abundant Gram-positive bacteria were Corynebacterium spp. (59.5%) and Bacillus spp. (not Bacillus cereus) (52.5%). These results suggest contaminated flood areas may be a transmission route for pathogens, and increase the risk of abnormal skin conditions among people exposed to the area.

Key words: Flood, Thailand, fungus, bacteria, yeast.
 

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 12 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper
    
Synergistic Effects of Psychrotolerant Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria and Rhizobium on Lentil Plant Growth Parameters and Yield

Jaskiran Kaur¹*, Veena Khanna²*, Poonam Kumari¹ and Rupali Sharma¹

¹Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab141 004, India.
²Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab141 004, India.

Received 21 October, 2024; Accepted 19 January, 2025

Abstract

Cold-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are of immense agronomic importance due to the fact that the winter season crop growing cycle is subject to varying spells of low temperatures and such PGPRs are metabolically functional at cold conditions. Thirty-five (35) rhizobacterial isolates were isolated from lentil rhizospheric soil, six isolates showing maximum exponential growth at both 10 and 15°C after 24 h were selected and characterized belonging to genera Bacillus and Pseudomonas. Production of indole acetic acid (IAA) ranged from 12.7-17.5 µgml-1 at 10°C to 18.4-20.4 μg/ml at 15°C. At 15°C, an isolate J-17 was found to be strong HCN producer whereas at 10°C, only two isolates: J-26 and J-30 were moderate producers. P-solubilizion at 15°C, ranged from 62.5 - 77.2 µgml-1. However, at 10°C none of the isolates solubilized P. At 15°C, catechol type siderophore production ranged from 523.4 - 606.1 µgml-1. On the basis of the PGP traits, four isolates J-3, J-17, J-18 and J-30 were selected for evaluation under field conditions of lentil at research farm of PAU, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. Coinoculation exhibited a significant increase in nodule number, nodule dry weight, plant and root dry weight, chlorophyll and leghaemoglobin content over Rhizobium alone. Application of J-3, J-17, J-18 and J-30 along with Rhizobium further enhanced the grain yield (1.8, 4.4, 3 and 1.4%).

Key words: HCN production, indole acetic acid, siderophore, P-solubilization.
 

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 12 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Soil Property Degradation Trends in Ultisols of Nigeria's Semi-Humid Regions

Ezeaku P. I.1, Eze F. U.1 and Oku E.2

¹Department of Soil Science; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
²United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa; University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.

Received 26 December, 2024; Accepted 11 March, 2025

Abstract

Better understanding of how soils respond to land use is needed to enable science-based land management interventions. The present study investigated the relative changes in properties of ultisol under conventional tillage for arable crops and compared with fallowed plot (greater than 10 years of continuous no-till fallow) in the semi-humid Nsukka of southeastern Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from designated profile horizons for determination of soil properties. In cultivated plot relative to fallowed plot, soil erodibility increased by 2.5% (Ei + 0.11), total porosity decreased by 1.1%, whereas macro- and microporosity increased by 3.4 and 7.1%, respectively. Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity increased by 4.9%. The degree of topsoil saturation with water was similar in both the cultivated and the fallowed plots. Soil pH increased (7%) when exchangeable acidity increased (21.3%, +0.46 cmol (+) kg-1). Losses of organic carbon (28%, -2.58 gkg-1), total N (26%, -0.17 gkg-1), available P (47%, -2.63 mgkg-1), Ca (55%, - 1.75 cmol (+) kg-1), CEC (17%, -1.11 cmol (+) kg-1), and base saturation (11.3 %) due to cultivation were observed. Since the fallowed plot that was previously under cultivation was able to show more favourable values of the measured soil properties than the cultivated plot without human activity, the study deduces that an ultisol can be resilient.

Key words: Ultisol, land use system, soil property, semi-humid, Nigeria.
 

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 12 (4), pp. 001-009, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Soil Chemical Characteristics Under Color Cotton Cultivation with Wastewater Irrigation in Brazil's Arid Climate

Carlos Alberto Vieira de Azevedo¹, Roberto Vieira Pordeus²*, Wagner Walker de Albuquerque Alves1, José Dantas Neto1, Vera Lúcia Antunes de Lima1 and Márcia Rejane de Queiroz Almeida Azevedo3

¹Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Campina Grande, Av. Aprígio Veloso, 882, Bodocongó,
CEP 58109970, Campina Grande -PB, Brazil.
²Department of Environmental Sciences, Federal Rural University of the Semi-arid, Av. Francisco Mota, 572, Mossoró-
RN - CEP: 59.625-900, Brazil.

³Center of Agrarian and environmental Sciences, Paraíba State University, Lagoa Seca – PB, CEP 58109-115, Brazil.

Received 27 July, 2024; Accepted 18 November, 2024

Abstract

Research found the effect of treated wastewater on chemical properties of the soil cultivated with cotton. The soil fertility was studied by using a randomized blocks experimental design in factorial scheme (4 x 2) with three replications, whose factors were four treated wastewater depths (278, 416, 554 and 692 mm) and two soil sampling times (before and after cultivation of colored cotton, with a rainfall of 89 mm during the crop cycle); while for the soil salinity, it was also used the experimental design in randomized blocks, but in factorial scheme (4 x 3) with three repetitions, being the factors the same four treated wastewater depths used in the fertility study, and three times of soil sampling (before and after the irrigation and after the rainfall period). After irrigation with effluent of stabilization pond and a rainfall of 89 mm, the contents of P, K+, Ca2+, H+ and the capacity of cationic change of the soil increased, while the contents of Na+, Mg2+ and the sodium exchangeable percentage decreased. However, the electrical conductivity, the sodium adsorption ratio and the contents of calcium, magnesium, sodium, chlorides of the soil saturation extract decreased after five months of rains, which totalized 646 mm.

Key words: Reuse, irrigation, soil.
 

African Journal of Soil Science ISSN 2375-088X Vol. 12 (4), pp. 001-011, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Soil Characterization and Variability Analysis in the Legon Hill Catena, Accra Plains, Ghana

Peter N. Eze

Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 16, Palapye, Botswana.

Received 21 April, 2024, Accepted 10 November, 2024

Abstract

Properties of five soils developed on different positions of a Legon hill catena in the Accra Plains, Ghana, were studied. Nyigbenya, Toje, Adenta, Haatso and Alajo series were located on the higher upperslope, lower upperslope, middle slope, lower slope and bottom slope positions, respectively. All the soils had bulk density between 1.00 and 1.40 Mg m-3 and pH (KCl) > 5.1. Alajo series showed relatively higher pH (H2O) (6.6 to 7.6), than all the other soils. Clay fraction increased from 263 g kg-1 at the upper to 721 g kg-1 at the bottom slope. All the soils except Alajo series showed very low levels of exchangeable bases and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Alajo series contained close to 10-fold levels of exchangeable bases and CEC compared to those of the other soils. Phosphorus retention was low (< 35%) in all the soils except the last horizon of Alajo series which showed a very high amount (96.2%) and had stronger correlation with clay content of the upper 30 cm of the soils. Alajo series showed the highest levels of organic C (1.8 to 9.5 g kg-1). This study shows that: (1) The properties of Nyigbenya, Toje, Adenta and Haatso series suggest that they were formed from stratified parent materials; (2) The within and across pedon textural differences along the catena were caused by sedimentary differentiation, illuviation and pedogenic formation of clay in the subsoil; (3) The levels of phosphate retention, CEC and exchangeable bases in the soils could be attributed mainly to the type and amount of clay they contained. Nyigbenya and Toje series were classified as Rhodic Kandiustalf according to Soil Taxonomy. Adenta series was classified as Typic Kandiustalf and Haatso series as Kandic Haplustalf. Alajo series, on the other hand was classified as Typic Natraquert. According the WRB classification system, Nyigbenya and Toje series were Nitisols whereas Adenta and Haatso series were Lixisols. Alajo series was classified as Natric Vertisol.

Key words: Alfisols, catena, pedogenesis, soil taxonomy, World reference base.