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Subject: Soil Science × Start date: 1990 × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    SULPHUR DYNAMICS AND ITS CRITICAL LIMITS FOR FRENCH BEAN AND CAULIFLOWER IN ACIDIC SOILS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH.
    (CSKHPKV, Palampur, 2019-07) Gourav; Sankhyan, N. K.
    Sulphur is best known for its essentiality and vitality in crop production, but due to its widespread deficiency, it is imperative to study its transformations in acidic soils. In the present investigation, 500 soil samples were collected randomly from cultivated acidic soils of Himachal Pradesh, as identified during previous surveys conducted by Department of Soil Science, CSK HPKV Palampur. Processed soil samples were analyzed for pH, soil texture and available sulphur. Five soil profiles were also selected randomly to study the vertical distribution of S. The transformation of sulphur with externally added elemental sulphur was studied in twenty one incubated soil samples, which varied in pH and texture. Further, 10 locations were selectedthat varied in pH, clay content and available S to study the response and to establish critical limits of S for french bean and cauliflower; furthermore the detailed experiment was conductedin pots under glasshouse. In study area, textural class, pH (1:2.5) and available sulphur ranged from loamy sand to clay, 4.23 to 7.00 (extremely acidic to neutral) and 11 to 65 kg ha-1 (deficient to sufficient) respectively. Around 35 per cent of the soil samples were found deficient in available sulphur. Available S exhibited a significant positive correlation with clay and silt, whereas significantnegative correlation was found with sand and pH. All the S fractions (sulphate-S, water soluble-S, heat soluble-S, organic-S and total-S) increased with incubation of soil samples and added elemental S. The highest content of these S fractions were obtained with the application of 80 kg S ha-1. Sole incubation of soil for thirty days without the addition of S, increased all the S fractions except organic-S. Contents of all the S fractions in soils increased with increase in clay and decreased with increase in pH of soil. In soil profiles study, all the S fractions decreased with increase in depth and highest contents of all the S fractions were found in surface layer. Sulphur fractions followed the order as total-S>organic-S>heat soluble-S>sulphate-S>water soluble-S. French bean and cauliflower responded significantly to the S application. Highest yield and yield attributes were obtained with the application of 40 kg S ha-1 in both the crops. However, the green pod yield in french bean at 30 kg S ha-1 was statistically at par with 40 kg S ha-1. Critical limits for french bean and cauliflower in soil were found to be 9.5 mg kg-1 and 10.5 mg kg-1, respectively. Whereas, the critical limits for french bean and cauliflower in plantswere found to be 0.103 per cent and 0.337 per cent sulphur, respectively.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    ASSESSMENT OF SOIL QUALITY AND NUTRIENT DYNAMICS UNDER CONVENTIONAL AND PROTECTED AGRICULTURE
    (CSKHPKV, Palampur, 24-07-18) Shabnam; Sharma, Sanjay K.
    Protected cultivation is gaining momentum especially for vegetable cultivation in Himachal Pradesh. Therefore the present study was undertaken to assess the soil quality inside polyhouses vis a vis under conventional cultivation so as to ascertain the effect of intensive cropping and the management practices being followed by farmers under these two systems. The main objectives of this study were to assess the effect of conventional and protected systems of farming on soil quality and to study N, P and K dynamics under conventional and protected systems of farming. To accomplish this, 25 sites of district Kangra were selected. All the required physical, chemical and biological parameters of soil quality were analysed and key indicators were identified using multivariate statistical analysis for computing the soil quality index. Wide variations in the soil health indicators were observed among different sites. Likewise, differences existed in the quality indicators between the samples from the protected and open conditions at number of sites. Higher salt accumulation (EC) was observed under protected conditions as compared to conventional system, though the differences in other properties were only conspicuous for some of the parameters. Among different nitrogen fractions, amino acid-N was the dominant fraction and contributed about 25 and 30% towards total-N and total hydrolysable-N, respectively. In case of P fractions, inorganic fractions constituted about 84.2% of total P. Water soluble-K, Exchangeable-K and non exchangeable-K contributed about 0.12, 0.59 and 3.05% towards total-K, respectively. As per multivariate statistical analysis techniques,organic carbon (OC), soil pH, EC, MWD and total K were found to be the most important indicators contributing towards soil quality.The mean soil qualityindex (SQI) values in Baijnath, Bhedu-Mahadev, Bhawarna, Kangra and Dharamshala blocks were 0.852, 0.816, 0.722, 0.823 and 0.794, respectively under protected cultivation. Similarly the SQI for the respective sites was computed as 0.762, 0.741, 0.759, 0.765 and 0.773 under conventional system. Overall significantly higher soil quality index was observed under protected system (0.815) as compared to the conventional cultivation (0.760). However, at two sites SQI score was lower under protected conditions than conventional cultivation. Higher gross returns were observed under protected system as compared to conventional system due to comparatively higher production. Also higher concentrations of macro as well micronutrients were observed in plant samples grown under protected system.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    STUDIES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF BORON FORMS IN SOME CULTIVATED SOILS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
    (CSKHPKV, Palampur, 24-07-18) Nazir, Gazala; Sharma, V.K.
    Understanding the spatial distribution of various forms of boron in soils helps in predicting its short- and long-term availability for sustainable crop production. In the present investigation, 202 surface soil samples, representing major soils (Alfisols, Entisols & Inceptisols) and land use types were collected from Outer and Lesser Himalayan regions of Himachal Pradesh to study the spatial distribution of B forms vis-à-vis their relationship with important soil properties. The soil samples were collected at 0-15 cm depth from cultivated soils under maize-wheat, paddy-wheat, vegetable-based & sugarcane-based cropping sequences and at 0-30 cm depth from tea gardens & orchards of mango, mandarin, apple etc. and analyzed for important soil properties and B forms using standard methods. The depth-wise distribution of those soil attributes and B forms (at 0-15, 15-30 & 30-60 cm) was also studied in the selected soils. Sand (%), silt (%), clay (%), textural class, soil pH (1:2.5), electrical conductivity (μS cm-1), organic carbon (g kg-1), cation exchange capacity {cmol(p+) kg-1}, base saturation (%) and calcium carbonate (%) in cultivated soils of Himachal Pradesh ranged from 25 to 80, 12 to 45, 6 to 32, loamy sand to clay loam, 5.2 to 7.8 (slightly acid to slightly alkaline), 40 to 372, 2.8 to 22.0, 4.1 to 16.4, 48 to 77 and 0.05 to 2.20, respectively. As regards available nutrient status, soils were medium in available N & K, low in available P & S, high in available Ca & Mg, sufficient in available Cu, Fe & Mn and deficient to sufficient in available Zn and B. Per cent soil samples deficient in N, P, S, Zn and B were 18, 45, 44, 36 and 55, respectively. Such a spatial variation in soil properties and fertility status may be explained in the light of pedo-genesis and prevailing nutrient management practices. Water soluble, exchangeable, specifically adsorbed, oxide occluded, organically bound, residual and total boron in cultivated soils ranged from 0.104 to 0.389, 0.128 to 0.393, 0.215 to 0.680, 0.567 to 2.13, 0.79 to 2.65, 20.04 to 53.16 and 22.0 to 59.14 mg kg-1 with mean values of 0.218, 0.231, 0.402, 1.26, 1.46, 34.09 and 37.67 mg kg-1, respectively. On an average, water soluble, exchangeable, specifically adsorbed, oxide occluded, organically bound and residual B constituted about 0.58, 0.61, 1.07, 3.34, 3.86 and 90.6 per cent of total B, respectively. As regards depth-wise distribution, surface soils were found rich in available and potentially available reserves of B as compared to sub-surface soils. Irrespective of land use types and soils, there were significant and positive correlations between different chemical pools of B, indicating the existence of dynamic equilibrium among them. Among all soil properties, clay, organic carbon and cation exchange capacity exhibited better correlations with each form of B. The step-wise multiple regression analysis showed that organic carbon contributed largely to different pools of boron. Soils deficient in available B had lower content of each form of B as compared to those, sufficient in available B. Further, soils with lower values of clay, organic carbon and cation exchange capacity contained less amount of soil B in each pool as compared to soils higher in these soil attributes. Therefore, former soils require relatively more attention on B mangement as compared to latter ones for sustaining soil productivity.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluating intra-terrace water harvesting in poly-lined tank and its productivity
    (CSKHPKV, Palampur, 1998) Sharma, Sanjay; Acharya, C.L.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Production and evaluation of organo-fertilizer
    (CSKHPKV, Palampur, 1997) Surender Kumar; Sharma, C.R.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
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    ThesisItemOpen Access