• Soils Inceptisols
A) General:
They are soil minerals development emerging from just deep deep; the horizon surface is colored (epipedón ócrico) or dark colors (epipedón úmbrico) and the basement has a skyline altered (cámbico horizon) of sandy texture franc fine to clay, soil structure or absence of rock structure in at least half the volume, with occasional and prolonged flooding in some areas, especially in the Atlantic region of our country, where the content of aluminum fluctuates high to medium. Provided Relief is flat to very steep, fertility is presented very low to high. They developed alluvial sediments, waterways, coluviales, volcanic ash, rock core and sour.
B) Location:
Predominate in the plains of the North Atlantic Autonomous Region and blocks scattered on the plains of the South Atlantic Region and the Department of the San Juan River. Small blocks are also scattered in the Regions of Central Pacific and North Country.
C) Climate:
These soils are in the areas of life from dry tropical forest until Premontane Tropical Forest very humid, with temperatures ranging between 18 ° and 27 ° C and precipitation between 800 and 6000 mm.
D) Drainage:
The natural drainage internal these soils varies from very poor to well-drained and the water table very superficial to deep, prolonged or occasional flooding during rainy seasons.
E) Morphological Characteristics:
The surface texture of the soil varies according to their location: in the Pacific region, its textures are open until clayey sand, with colorations of brown and reddish brown to grayish brown, while in the Atlantic region is generally free clay to clay, with clear color of brown to reddish brown and grey. The texture and coloration of the subsoil also varies according to their location and source material: in the Atlantic region is the texture clay gray color with clear, this is due to hidromorfismo in change in the Pacific region is its texture and colouring French franc clay and sandy clay, dark brown and sometimes with dark reddish brown color, the depths are shallow to very deep (60 to> 120 cm). In some areas where the soils are frequent floods and prolonged during the rainy season (Atlantic Region).
F) Chemical characteristics:
The content of organic matter in these soils is very high to very low, the pH ranges from extremely acid to neutral, cation exchange capacity is very low to high and the percentage of saturation bases very low to high.
G) Use potential:
These soils are suitable for a wide range of crops such as cotton, sesame, cocoa, peanuts, corn, vegetables, banana, banana, pineapple, coffee, citrus fruits. In some cases risk or susceptibility to soil erosion and / or wind are recommended for forest reforestation or failing, and in other cases because of poor internal drainage of the soil, the presence of high water table, flooding frequent and lengthy, very low soil fertility or relief with very steep slope, it is recommended for protection of flora and fauna.
These soils are suitable for annual crops and semievergreen, perennials and woodland on land with slopes <15%, up to 30% slope for silvopastura, agroforestry and forests, yet up to 50% agroforestry and forest slopes> 50% for forest protection and conservation.
•Soils Mollisols
A) General:
They mineral soils with state of development: emerging, young or mature. With a surface horizon (epipedón móllico) dark humus-rich, well-structured, smooth dry and an underlying layer of alluvial accumulation of clay (a horizon argillite horizon, a horizon cámbico charged clay); little deep to very deep , low to high fertility; developed alluvial deposits and lake sedimented volcanic rocks basic, acidic, metamorphic, sedimentary and pyroclastic.
B) Location:
Predominate in the Central Region in the Departments of Chontales and Boaco, extending towards the Pacific region in the departments of Leon and Chinandega and small blocks in the Department of Madriz. For their characteristics are the best soils for agricultural activities.
C) Climate:
These soils are in the areas of life from a subtropical dry forest Premontane Tropical Forest wet, with rainfall ranging from 800 to 3000 mm per year, the average temperature and biotemperatura range between 18 ° and 24 ° C as a yearly average.
D) Geomorphology and relief:
They are in the physiographic provinces Nicaraguan Depression, Pacific Coast, Pacific Volcanic Highlands and the Interior, with ranges between 0 and outstanding 75% and relief is flat to very steep.
E) Drainage:
The internal drainage of the soil is very poor to well-drained soil, the water table is fairly surface during the rainy season in some areas.
F) Morphological Characteristics:
The characteristics of these soils are: texture of the soil and subsoil of a French franc sandy clay and clay, with colors that range from reddish brown to grayish brown, gray and dark brown; are little deep to very deep (60 to> 120 cm) in some areas is one or more layer talpetate of different colors and cementing degrees at different depths and others have stones on the surface and gravel in the profile.
G) Chemical characteristics:
Organic matter content is very low to high, the pH is strongly acidic to strongly alkaline, the cation exchange capacity (CEC) is low to high and the percentage of saturation bases is low to high.
H) Use potential:
According to the soil and climatic characteristics these soils are suitable for crops such as cotton, sesame, peanut, corn, sorghum, rice, sugarcane, these crops are suitable for outstanding ranging from 0-15% taking into account appropriate measures conservation and management. Soils with ranges of 15-30% slopes are suitable for crops such as grasses, pineapple, some fruit, silvopasturas, agro-forestry and forest. Soils with ranges of 30-50% are pending for forest exploitation, forest protection, forest conservation and agroforestry. The remaining soil with> 50% are suitable only for forest protection and conservation of flora and fauna.