Assessment of Plant Diversity and Soil Properties in Home Gardens of Rural Households in Ondo State

Home gardens in rural South West Nigeria serve as important repositories of plant genetic diversity and play critical roles in household food security, yet their botanical composition and associated soil properties in Ondo State are poorly documented. This study assessed the plant species diversity and selected soil physical and chemical properties in home gardens of 40 rural households across Ondo Central Senatorial District. Quadrat-based vegetation surveys were conducted in each home garden, and soil samples were collected from 0 to 15 cm and 15 to 30 cm depths for laboratory analysis. Shannon-Wiener and Simpson diversity indices, species richness, and evenness were calculated for each garden. A total of 112 plant species from 53 families were recorded across all gardens. Edible food plants (41 species) were the most common category, followed by medicinal plants (34 species) and ornamentals (22 species). Diversity indices ranged from H' = 1.83 to H' = 3.47, reflecting considerable variation among households. Soil pH was weakly acidic (mean 5.8), organic carbon was moderate (mean 2.3%), and available phosphorus was limiting in 65% of gardens. A significant positive correlation was found between soil organic carbon and plant species richness (r = 0.62, p < 0.05). Household educational level and land tenure security were associated with higher garden plant diversity. The study recommends home garden development programmes as a sustainable strategy for agrobiodiversity conservation and food security in rural Ondo State communities. Keywords: home gardens, plant diversity, agrobiodiversity, soil properties, Ondo State