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Access to information on soil nutrients status and variability is essential in understanding the potential of soils and their responsiveness to management interventions in agriculture. The current study evaluated soil nutrients status in selected agroecological zones (AEZs) of Cameroon and identified variations and their adequacy for maize (Zea mays L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench)), and cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) production. A total of 163 soil samples were collected from surface (0–15 cm) layer for the determination of pH, organic matter (OM), estimated nitrogen release (ENR), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na), boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), aluminium (Al), phosphorus (P), total exchangeable capacity (TEC), and base saturations. The results showed different degrees of variability in soil nutrients ranging from low to very high in all the AEZs. The soils in all the AEZs were consistently deficient in available phosphorus, sulphur, boron, and zinc in varying proportion and might be inadequate to supply cultivated maize, sorghum, and cassava with the nutrients needed to achieve optimal growth. The soils were also prone to Mg-induced K deficiency, which could limit the growth of maize, sorghum, or cassava. These results therefore suggest that management of inherent soil properties should be based on-site specific situations.

This paper deals with the physical characterization and the optimization of fineness moduli of some natural sand samples for their appropriate valorization in construction in North Cameroon. Five sands samples (SN5, SB1, SB2, SB3 and SB4) were selected from various locations. Tests conducted include Particle size analysis, Organic impurities, Sand Equivalent and Bulk density. Fineness Modulus (FM), Mean grain, Sorting index (Si), Skewedness index and Uniformity coefficient have been deducted mathematically. Results shown that the particle size distribution curves of the studied sands have an "S" shape. The sand equivalent values vary between 91.1 and 96.8 %, characteristic of very clean sand. The fineness moduli values vary between 1.9 and 3.4 except for samples SB1 and SB2 which are coarser with values of 3.4 and 3.3 respectively. Others results shown that all the sands are pure (impurity level less than 0.5 %), well classified Sorting index Si < 0.35) and Coefficient of uniformity (Cu < 2). Studied sands are globally coarse (skewedness index between -0.35 at -0.79F). Only SB4 and SN5 satisfy the NF EN 933-1 gradation limits. Combinations of SB3 (FM = 2.1) with SB1 (FM =3.4) or SB2 (FM= 3.3) were carried out to get desired sand gradation (2.2 to 2.8), SB4 and SN5 having already good fineness moduli of 2.6 and 2.8 respectively.

Assessment of genotypic and phenotypic diversity of the rain-fed Sorghum in the sahelian zone of Cameroon. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the genotypic and phenotypic diversity in the accession of the rain-fed Sorghum in the sahelian zone of Cameroon and to estimate the genetic parameters, which can be used to create new varieties of Sorghum in Cameroon. Methodology and results: Forty-four (44) accessions were grown in a randomized complete bloc design with three replications. The results showed there was a large morphological diversity among the Sorghum accessions. Furthermore, these diversities were organized around vegetative and yield characters, which divided the accessions into three groups. The individual in group three (3) showed interesting performance in term of plant height and grain yield parameters. The analysis of genotypic and phenotypic parameters showed that there was low influence of the environmental factors on the performances of the accessions. Conclusions applications of findings : There was a the low difference between the phenotypic and genotypic variances for all characters. High broad sense heritability estimates recorded for all characters and the expected genetic advance were variables. The high expected genetic advance observed in the vegetative characters are better in the yield characters. The results from this study provide useful information in selection of parents that breeders could exploit in sorghum improvement program in Cameroon.

In the present study, two topomorphic vertisols profiles used for sorghum production were described and characterized. After macroscopic characterization, physicochemical, mineralogical and geochemical analyses were made. Physicochemical analyses were made by standard methods while mineralogy was determined on clay fraction (˂2µm) by X-ray diffraction coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Geochemical analysis was determined on 180µm fraction by inductively coupled plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results revealed that studied vertisols were average deep, less differentiated with desiccations cracks and gilgai micro relief. The angular blocky structure and clayey texture were observed. They were alkaline (7.3 ≤ pHwater ≤ 8.4) and recorded a low to moderate organic matter and nitrogen contents. Cation exchange capacity was high reaching 52.24 meq 100g-1 and exchangeable cations were moderates with Ca 2+ (3.69-29.6 meq 100g-1) the most represented cation. Vertisols were made of smectites associated to kaolinite and a lesser content of quartz. Illites and calcite were also identified in some horizons. On the geochemical point of view, Si02 (55.87-83.64%), Al2O3 (6.08-20.25%), Fe2O3 (2.09-6.39%) and K2O (1.43-2.24 %) were the dominant oxides. Traces elements were represented essentially by Ba (518-1202 mg kg-1), Zr (334-685 mg kg-1) and Sr (71-190 mg kg-1). The overall features are suitable to dry season sorghum production. The amount of smectites seemed to be an important factor affecting their water holding capacity on which dry season sorghum production depends. Improved cropping systems have to be developed to sustain productivity in vertisols with low smectites and where annual rainfall is lesser.

The sustainable improvement of plant nutrition can provide sufficient food for all and can keep the environment clean. In that point of view, the present study aims to provide to farmers some contextualized and efficient fertilizers. In the present work, 161 plants of Talinum fruticosum L. and 161 plants of Ocimum gratissimum L. were regularly treated with a mixture of human urine and water from cooked beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in a 1:1 ratio during three months. 161 of each of these plants were used as control. The experimental design was a randomized complete block in 4 replicates. The size of the studied parts of the targeted plants was highly enhanced in three months in response to the use of the mixture. The leaves of Ocimum gratissimum L. treated shew an average of 22 cm of length and 7.7 cm of width while those of the control shew an average length of 8 cm and 4.8 cm of width. Concerning the leaves of Talinum fruticosum L. treated, they measured 10.1 cm of length and 4 cm of width in average and those of the control 4.1 cm of length and 2 cm of width in average. Peasants could thus save a lot of money by using their excreta and some of their sewages as fertilizers to promote the sustainable development of their ecosystems. Further lab analysis on water from cooked beans alone and on the mixture made of human urine and water from cooked beans could ease in the future the acquirement of new knowledge about them. The consequence of that improvement will simply be the capitalization of those fluids as source of easily absorbable nutrients for plants nutrition.