Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and

Technology
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Faculty of Agriculture

Subject: Soil Chemistry and Microbiology

Course code: CS 152

Assignment: Laboratory Report 1 on Soil Organic

matter determination using the Walkley-Black
method.

Semester II 2006/2007

Student: Samwini, Cephas Joshua Beujung

Index number: 9842106

Lecturer: Prof. E.Y. Safo

Topic: Soil Organic matter determination using the Walkley-Black
method

Soil Type: Kumasi Series (20-30 cm)

Volume of blank = 10ml
Weight of soil = 2gm
Normality of FeSO4 = 1N
Normality of K2Cr2O7 = 1N

FeSO4 Blank
Final Titre /ml 15.00 10.00
Initial reading/ml 8.60 0.00
Titre Value /ml 6.40 10.00

% organic Carbon (C) in Soil = (m.e. K2Cr2O7 – m.e. FeSO4) x 0.003 x f x

100
Weight of soil
m.e. = Normality of solution(N) x volume of solution used (ml)
m.e. (K2Cr2O7) = 1Nx10ml
= 10m.e.
m.e. (FeSO4) = 1N x 6.40ml
= 6.40m.e.
f = 1.33
% organic C in the soil = (10.00 – 6.40) x 0.003 x 1.33 x 100
2
% organic C in the soil = 0.7182
% organic matter = % organic C x 1.724
= 0.7182x 1.724
% organic matter = 1.238.

Comment:
Table 1.11
Organic C content Walkley-Black method (% of soil by Rating
Weight)
>20 Very High
10-20 high
4-10 medium
2-4 low
<2 very low

Our soil sample is fetched from the Kumasi series scooped from a
depth of 20 – 30 cm. The Kumasi series was described generally by S.V.
Adu in his 1992 work as “red, well drained, gravelly, clay loams and
1
J. R. Landon, The Booker Tropical Soil manual, 1942, pp. 139-40.
clays developed over deeply weathered biotite granite with some
muscovite on summits and upper slope.”2
Morill, et al define soil organic matter as a “complex mixture ranging
from relatively un-decomposed plant and animal remains to complex
polymeric humic material arising from microbial or chemical
degradation processes”.3 They go on to classify soil organic matter
into “humic” and “non humic” with the humic consisting of substances
that are transformed or altered either microbially or chemically. The
non-humic is the unaltered remains of plants and animals,
microorganisms, cellulose, starch, proteins, chitin and fats. With this
background knowledge, we go on to comment on the results obtained
from the experiment.

Deducing from the ratings of organic carbon content soils by weight

using the Walkley-black method published by J. R. Landon; we see that
our soil sample is very low in organic carbon. It is reported that there is
rapid decline in soil organic matter with continuous cultivation of soils
(alfisols were used in the study)4. Perhaps that could account for the
very low level of organic carbon we had in our soil sample. On his part
J. R. Landon outlined some factors that caused an upward value in soils
organic carbon content even though these factors are of no benefit to
the soil since plant cannot take the in the form in which they exist.
These factors are; charcoal in areas of human habitation and un-
decomposed plant residues.5 Idowu also states that the application of
residue mulch to any soil under arable cultivation lead to favourable
soil physical characteristics as well as maintenance of organic matter
content.

In conclusion, our soil sample from the Kumasi series showed a very
low level of soil organic matter in the experiment. Soil organic matter is
a very essential component of soil, making up about five percent of the
total soil volume. Not only that, soil organic matter is also known to
improve the structure of the soil, enhance the activity of soil
microorganism, serve as a binding agent for the other components of
the soil, and is a source of nutrients for the plants growing in the. It is
also known to have a high cation exchange capacity. With this in mind,
it is very important to educate farmers to avoid activities like bush
burning and continuous cultivation of arable crops without applying
humus to replenish the used up organic matter that reduce or
eliminate soil organic matter all together. Rather farmers can
undertake practices like mulching, application of humus and
composting, which improve organic matter content in the soil.
2
S. V. Adu, … 1992:
3
Morrill L.G. et al …….. organic compounds in the soil: pp 78
4
Juo and Lal, see Idowu, O.J. 2005; Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science. Vol 38, pp 73-75
5
Landon, J. R., 1942; The Booker tropical soil Manual, pp139-140
References:

Adu, S.V. 1992; Soils of the Kumasi Region.

Morrill L.G. et al …….. Organic Compounds in the soil. Ann Arbor science publishers.

Landon, J. R., 1942; The Booker tropical soil Manual

Idowu, O. J., 2005; “Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science. Vol 38”