Abstract
This study was undertaken to evaluate soil moisture characteristics in parts of Bauchi State under soil derived from basement complex and sandstone parent materials with the view to reveal the major cause of moisture stress experienced in soil derived from basement complex in early stage of every dry season. Triplicate core samples were collected randomly within 0 – 60cm at an interval of 0 – 20cm using 5.0cm diameter and 3cm high rings of known weight (W1) and volume (V).Soil moisture contents at pressure of 0.33bar, 1.00bar, 3.33bar, 7.00bar, 10.00bar and 15.00bar were determined using pressure plate extractor. These moisture contents on mass basis were graphed against their corresponding tension values to give a soil-specific curve known as the soil moisture characteristics (SMC) curve. The analyzed mineralogical content and retention of the studied area showed that moisture retention and released characteristics depended on soil texture. Findings revealed that soils derived from sandstone exhibited higher plant available moisture at all tension levels evaluated compared to soils derived from basement complex. The result also showed that plant available moisture was fast lost at lower tension level of 1bar in soils of basement complex while it was slowly and steadily released till tension of 15bar in soil of sandstone origin. Therefore, early planting, drought resistance or early maturing varieties of crops are recommended for planting in soil derived from basement complex.