ABSTRACT:

This research was carried out along river Kaduna watershed in southern Kaduna to investigate the pedological properties of soils along the watershed for better management and increased productivity. Six profile pits were dug along the cropping soils of the watershed. Samples were collected according to the horizonations of the profile pits and analyzed for pedological evaluations. Structural composition of the investigated soils indicated that pit 1, pit 2 and pit 6 all had poorly formed indistinct peds on their surface horizons as their grade of structure. Pit 3 and Pit 5 had their grades as poorly formed indistinct peds while Pit 4 grade of structure had no observable aggregation. Almost all studied soils (pits 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6) had their textures ranged from Silt clay loam at the top horizons to silty loam or silt clay down the horizons. The investigated soils were very low in organic matter with the mean highest value appeared in pedon 1 (5.88 gkg ) -1 while the lowest was found in pedon 6 with mean organic matter as low as 1.26 g kg . The -1 Available P status indicated that Pits 1, 2 and 3 had moderate P contents (5 -15 mgkg ) while low -1-1 (< 5mgkg ) in Pits 4, 5 and 6. sand exhibited high variability (CV≥35%) except in pit 3 and 5 where it was moderate (CV≥15<35%). Clay exhibited mostly moderate variability (CV≥15<35%) except in pit 2 and 3 where it had low variability (CV≤15%) and pit 6 with high variability (CV≥35%). The silt content of the soils all indicated low variability (CV≤15%) except pit 4 where it varied highly (CV≥35%). Organic carbon and organic matter varied highly (CV≥35%) in all studied soils of River Kaduna watershed. Pits 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 were classified as Aridic Ustifluvents while Pit 4 was classified as Aridic Ustipsamments.