Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF NAJAF PROVINCE SOILS, IRAQ

Nadia Mohammed Majeed, Ahmed Qasim Ubaid, Ahmed Mohammed Ali Savore, Jaafar B. Al-Gburi and Mohammed Jawad Salih Al-Haidarey

Abstract

Physical properties of soils are parts of the environment that sustain development as abiotic factors. These include texture, pH, salinity, water holding capacity, and water permeability. This study comes to evaluate the soil physical properties of Najaf province for agricultural purposes. Soil samples were collected from different types of soil (five sites from five transects at north to south of Najaf province) using hand auger from a depth ranging up to 20 cm. The results showed that the most sites of transect 1 were silty clay loam while the other transects were sandy silts. The soil salinity was gradient from low in transect 1 (0.1 ppt) to high in transect 5 (5.2±1.7 ppt). The pH was fluctuated between 7.19±0.38 – 7.81±0.42 in transect2 and transect3 respectively, but in general all studied soils were slightly alkaline. The highest permeability of water was related with sandy soil components, and there were no significant change in water permeability among all of transects, but there were significant changes between gropes of study (P-value > 0.05). The water holding capacity was ranged between 201.228±76.207 – 527.891±75.891 ml/kg in transect five and one respectively. The organic matters of studied transects were ranged between 20.393±15.771 – 72.921±8.961 g/Kg in transect five and one respectively. This study concluded that the most of Najaf province physical soil properties were slightly alkaline, silty salts, low organic matters, slightly salty, high water permeability and low holding capacity. Also, the western parts which closed to Euphrates River was more water holding capacity, and organic matters.