Characterization of floodplain soils in Southern Guinea Savanna of North Central Nigeria

• We mapped and characterized Southern Guinea Savanna floodplain soils.
• Geomorphology process of Epi saturation controls morphogenesis.
• The major pedogenesis processes include cummilization and ferrolyses.
• The soils were classified as Ustifluvent and Ustipsamment.

The study was set up to characterize floodplain soils of Southern Guinea Savanna in North Central Nigeria for sustainable land use. The flexible grid method was adopted to identify the soil units. Soil map was produced in a GIS environment, using morpho-physical and soil chemical properties. The major morphological expressions are ferrolyses and gleization. The variation in cation exchange capacity recorded (1.29–21.64 cmol kg− 1) could be attributed to effects of various deposits of soil regoliths from time to time. The phosphorus distribution is generally low (0.8–11.8 mg kg− 1) while nitrogen content is > 0.15% at the surface. The major pedogenetic processes include cummilization, ferrolyses and gleization. The soil units identified were classified as Fluvaquentic Epiaquept, Aquertic Ustifluvent, Kandic Ustifluvent, and Aeric Ustipsamment. The mapping units suggest two possible management units based on texture and chemical properties. The soils are generally suitable for rice production due to epi-saturation.