Evaluation of the Fertility Status of the Soils under Coffee Cultivation in Moshi Rural District, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania
Prosper I. Massawe *
Selian Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 6024, Arusha, Tanzania
Jerome Mrema
Department of Soil Science, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O.Box 3000, Morogoro, Tanzania
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To study the causes of the decline in coffee production in Moshi Rural District, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania through evaluating the fertility status of the soils under coffee cultivation.
Study Design: Soils and leaf samples were collected in randomized design.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was undertaken in Moshi Rural District, Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania for the period of 2009/2010.
Methodology: Soils and leaves samples were collected and analyzed in the laboratory using various methods that gave results of physical and chemical properties of soils and leaves respectively.
Results: Some of the physical and chemical properties of the soils from the study area such as textural class of the soils were clay loam, CEC was medium, total N was low, available P was low, and available K was medium. The Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe were high. Although, the soil samples had been taken from the same area, but variations were observed during samples analysis. The nutrients content in plant leaves were higher than those in the soils indicating presence of biochemical processes on the plant leaves. The leaves samples results indicated adequate to sufficient nutrients content in plants.
Conclusion: Therefore, since the physical characteristics of the Moshi Rural District soils are good for coffee production the improvement on the chemical characteristics of the soils will enhance the maximum production of coffee.
Keywords: Coffee, soil, leaves, nutrients, fertilizers