Physical and Chemical Properties of Vertisols and their Management

Vert~sols, because of their high water-holding capacity, are suited to dryland crop production in =mi-arid environments with uncertain and heavy rainfall. Selected physical and chemical properties of Vert~sols that affect their management for crop production are discussed. Due to their high clay content, the physical properties of Vertisols are greatly influenced by moisture content; usually, thew soils an too sticky and unworkable when wet, and very hard when dry. The soil moisture range in which the physical condition of Vertisols is sultable for tillage and planting operations is quite narrow. Deep Vertisols have impeded drainage in the rainy season with consequent loss of trafficability; poor air-water relations are suspected. Land management practices that facil~tatdt rainage and improve aeration, water intake and permeability of these so~lnse ed to be evolved. Though generally of low fertility status, Vertisols offer opportunilics for better crop production in semi-arid areas with erratic rainfall compared with other soil orders found in these regions; this is mainly due to their high moisture-holding capacity which allows crops to grow or survive for longer periods