African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6925

Full Length Research Paper

Soil Characteristics, Taxonomy and land suitability of a lateritic Mantle for rain-fed maize (Zea mays) Agriculture in the Cameroon Western Highlands

Lenaïck Lecknaï Etengola Efeno
  • Lenaïck Lecknaï Etengola Efeno
  • Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon.
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Primus Azinwi Tamfuh
  • Primus Azinwi Tamfuh
  • Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon.
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Georges Kogge Kome
  • Georges Kogge Kome
  • Department of Land Surveying, National Advanced School of Public Works Yaoundé, P. O. Box 510, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
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Achille Ibrahim
  • Achille Ibrahim
  • Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon.
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Roger Kogge Enang
  • Roger Kogge Enang
  • Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 222, Dschang, Cameroon.
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Armand Ludovic Sylvain Wouatong
  • Armand Ludovic Sylvain Wouatong
  • Department of Earth Science, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 67 Dschang, Cameroon.
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  •  Received: 03 January 2025
  •  Accepted: 06 February 2025
  •  Published: 28 February 2025

Abstract

Numerous farmers experience a knowledge gap between the cultivation capabilities of land units (LU) responsible for spatial yield variability. This research aims to characterize and evaluate a lateritic toposequence for rain-fed maize in Western Cameroon. Five soil profiles dug along an N-S transect enabled assessing land suitability for maize using the FAO method. The main results revealed that LU N° 1 (Summit) and 4 (Footslope) are currently marginal (S3) for maize cultivation, caused by climatic and soil physical constraints. LU N° 2 (basin with outflow), 3 (Backslope), and 5 (endorheic basin) are unsuitable (N2 and N), due to poor root zone aeration and unsuitable topography. Improved management strategies could allow for the reclassification of land use (LU) categories as follows: Unit 1, currently classified as Rhodic Eutric Nitisol (Ferric), could be deemed moderately suitable. Units 2, 3, and 5, which are Gleyic Stagnosol, Pisoplinthic Plinthosol, and Stagnic Gleysol, respectively, could be classified as marginally suitable. Finally, Unit 4, identified as Eutric Nitisol, could be reclassified as suitable. For potential yields, 47% is marginal (5.13 t/ha), 34% is suitable (0.97-2.27 t/ha) and 18% is moderate (0-1.95 t/ha). Comparing actual and potential yields, under low and medium input farming, yields with low input increase from 0.9 t/ha (actual suitability) to 4 t/ha (potential suitability), while medium levels increase from 2.27 t/ha (actual suitability) to 5.8 t/ha (potential suitability). This increase highlights the importance of using modest inputs to boost soil productivity for maize.

Key words: Lateritic toposequence, rain-fed maize, land suitability classification, actual yield, potential yields, Cameroon Western Highlands.

Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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