Abstract
AGGREGATE STABILITY AS AFFECTED BY LANDUSE IN NORTH CENTRAL SOIL OF NIGERIA

Aggregate stability of soil is an indicator of soil quality. This study was carried out on Alfisol soil to describe the relationships between soil properties related to aggregate stability, and effects of landuse on aggregate stability of soil in North central of Nigeria. Bulk and core samples were collected from 0-20 cm depth from the fields, in order to determine soil structural stability parameters. Soil organic carbon, iron, aluminum, WSA, and DR have effect on landuse type: P = 0.002, P = 0.034, P = 0.042, P = 0.001, ,p=0.050respectively. Aggregate stability parameters were more stable cashew and mango plantations followed by landuse under cowpea and cassava plantation compare to rice plantation which has the lowest soil aggregate stability among all the ten different land use types studied. The results indicated that land use types had a significant effect on soil aggregate stability, that there are relationships among soil aggregate stability parameters and organic carbon, iron and aluminum content of the soil studied.