Mineralogy of characteristic well-drained soils of sub-humid to humid Tanzania

• Published in: Acta agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and plant science Vol. 55; no. 4; pp. 241 - 251
• Main Authors: Szilas, Casper, Peter Møberg, Jens, Borggaard, Ole K., Semoka, Johnson M.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01.12.2005
• Subjects: Al and Fe oxides; feldspars; fertility; kaolinite; low activity clay minerals; tropical soils; weathering
• ISSN: 0906-4710; 1651-1913
• DOI: 10.1080/09064710500193360

Crop production in Tanzania depends on the natural soil fertility, which, in turn, is dependent on soil mineralogy. The mineralogical composition of ten widely distributed, well-drained upland soils from important agricultural areas of different ecological zones in the sub-humid to humid parts of Tanzania was determined by means of X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and chemical analyses. All soils were found to be severely weathered with limited but variable capacity to hold and release nutrients in plant available form and to sustain low input subsistence agriculture. Tentatively the soils may be arranged in the following order according to decreasing fertility based on their mineralogy: Msimba > Ukiriguru > Lubonde > Igabiro≈Magadu≈Mlingano≈Nkundi≈Suluti > Mpangala > Sasanda. However, the high phosphate adsorption capacity of the last two soils formed from volcanic material makes a comparison with the other soils difficult.