Suitability Assessment of a Farm at Onne, Rivers State for Leaf and Fruit Vegetable Crops

The nearly level to level and undulating topography of the 60.7 ha Farm of NAFCON Limited at Onne, Rivers State offers potentials for mechanized land development. The >2400mm annual rainfall is well distributed to allow 2-3 cycles of leaf and fruit vegetables. The identified soil constraints are surface layer coarse texture, extreme, low content of basic cations and CEC. Based on requirement set for okro, pepper, eggplant, melon (egusi) amaranth and fluted pumpkin, actual level of suitability of four pedons are marginal (S3sf) to moderate (S2f). The site is not suitable (NSscf) for wet season tomato but can be marginally suitable (S3sf) in late season production. Soil management recommendation are conservation tillage, practices which increase and maintain organic matter, liming, split application of appropriate fertilizers and implementing manure fertilizer use.