THE EFFECT OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY (EC) AND ACIDITY (PH) OF IRRIGATION WATER ON THAT OF VEGETABLE GARDEN SOILS IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

The study was conducted in the Tamale Metropolis to study the relationship between the ECs of irrigation water and irrigated soil as well as the relationship between the pH of irrigation water and that of soils in eight irrigated vegetable gardens. The gardens were located in Builpela (Site A and Site B), Gumbehini, Lamakara, Sagani, Sakasaka, Zagyuri and Zuju. Seven irrigation water samples and 16 soil samples were taken and analyzed in the laboratory. The pH of the soil was determined in water at a soil to water ratio of 1:1 while the EC of the soil was determined by the saturated paste extract method. The EC of the soils ranged from 0.02 dS/m to 0.20 dS/m and that of the irrigation water ranged from 0.01 dS/m to 0.10 dS/m, that is non saline. The research revealed that, the ECs of the soils were highly influenced by that of irrigation water. The pH of the soils ranged from 5.68 to 8.36 and that of the irrigation water ranged from 6.36 to 7.48. The pH of the soils was also influenced by the pH of the irrigation water, though the impact was minimal.