A Study of the Moisture Content and Bulk Density of Soil in Relation to its Temperature Values: A Case Study of Soils Around Bosso Campus of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Northcentral Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the moisture content and bulk density properties of a sample of loamy soil obtained from the Bosso Campus of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, over a period of ten days. Moisture content and soil compaction studies are vital in agriculture on account of their effect on plant growth and yield because seedlings can only germinate under optimum conditions of moisture content and soil compaction. Loamy soil sample was collected, sun-dried, wetted, distributed amongst ten PVC tubes each 30 cm in height, and compacted. Each of the PVC tube was drilled at intervals of 2cm. Thermometers were inserted at the 16 cm, 18 cm, and 20 cm marks for each PVC tube and the average bulk density and moisture content were evaluated. The results obtained were subjected to the chi-square test and the Spearman Rank correlation test analyses and tested at 0.01 level of significance. The results indicate that there is no significant difference amongst the various mean temperature values at the different thermometer points; also strong positive correlations were observed between the mean temperature and the moisture content values on the one hand and between the mean temperature and the bulk density values on the other hand.