Assessing the suitability of rice cultivation in Muvumba P-8 marshland of Rwanda using soil properties

This paper deals with the estimation of different soil properties of Muvumba P-8 marshland in Rwanda to assess the soil for its suitability for rice cultivation. The objective of the research is to determine the soil properties. Properties like texture, bulk density, total available water, infiltration rate, hydraulic conductivity and permeability were determined. Soil properties were estimated for different soil depths of 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm. It was found that the layer of the soil with 0-15, 15-30 and 30-45 cm is having the soil texture of sandy clay loam and the depth of 45-60 cm is having the texture of clay loam. The soil of the plots with depths like 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm are having the clay content of 21, 25, 26 and 38% respectively and are having the bulk densities of 1.38, 1.29, 1.33 and 1.12 gm/cm3. It shows that clay content increases as the depth of the soil increases. The average total available water for three different depths mentioned are 8.5, 11.2, 15.5 and 16.5 mm and it varies from 4.5 mm to 26.4 mm. The data were analysed by using GENISTAT in order to get the difference of variation. The average infiltration rate of the field at Muvumba P-8 marshland was 12.8 mm/hour. It means that a water layer of 12.8 mm on the soil surface will take one hour to infiltrate. The experimental plot at Muvumba P-8 marshland was found to be moderately slow infiltration rate but it has rapid permeability. It indicates that there is slow entry of water in top soil surface but the percolation will be faster due rapid permeability. It is good for rice cultivation. Keywords: Soil properties-weather parameters-marshland-assessment-rice cultivatio