FERTILITY INDICES AND MANAGEMENT OF HYDROMORPHIC SOILS SUPPORTING RAPHIA PALM (RAPHIA HOOKERI) MANN AND WEND LAND) PLANTATION AT ONUEBUM, BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

Fertility status of soils supporting Raphia hookeri at Onuebum in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, was investigated.  The soils have silt ∕ (clay + silt) ratios very low, being less than unity in all the samples which is an indication that most of the silt has been weathered into clay.  The soils pH were moderately to strongly acidic with their values ranging from 4.50 - 4.52.   The hydromorphic soils supporting the growth of Raphia hookeri palms contained low concentration of total N, available P and relatively low exchangeable cations, Ca, Mg, K and Na.  The base saturation percent is medium to high (66.0 – 81.0%) and low in effective cation exchange capacity (4.754 – 6.416 cmol ∕ kg ^–1).  The plantation therefore require application of organic or inorganic fertilizer preferably N and K to boost the soil nutrient.  In addition, good tillage and liming should be done to reduce the flooding and acidity of the soils.