SOIL CHARACTERISTICS AND NUTRIENT INDEXING OF SOME FRUIT CROPS OF SUB-TROPICAL ZONE OF JAMMU REGION (JAMMU AND KASHMIR STATE)
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Date
2001
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Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu
Abstract
Twenty four soil profiles were exposed and four soil samples from each depth at 0-15, 15-30, 30-60 and 60-100 cm were collected from mango, guava and ber orchards falling in the sub-tropical zone of Jammu region. Besides leaf samples at flowering stage in case of mango, middle of shoots (September) in case of guava and tertiary shoots two months after pruning in case of ber were collected simultaneously from the sites from which soil samples had been collected. Soil samples were analysed for available N, P, K, S and DTPA extractable micronutrient cations (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn). Similarly, leaf samples were analysed for the above mentioned nutrients. Apart from these, soil samples were analysed for physico-chemical properties viz. pH, EC, organic carbon, calcium carbonate and texture. Correlation coefficients were determined between soil nutrients and respective leaf nutrient contents and also between soil nutrients and physicochemical properties. The results showed that the texture of the soil varied from loam to sandy clay loam with no salinity/alkalinity problems. Organic carbon was low to medium with more than 60 per cent orchards having this element less than 0.50 per cent. Soil reaction was slightly acidic to neutral and safe for growing fruit crops. Further, soil was poor in available nitrogen, low to medium in phosphorus and sulphur, medium to high in available potassium. With regard to micronutrient cations, soils were deficient in zinc and optimum in copper, iron and manganese. Surface soils in general contained higher amounts of available nutrients than the sub-surface layers. The deficiency in these soils was 93, 35 and 53 per cent in nitrogen, phosphorus and zinc, respectively. Foliar analysis showed the predominant inadequacies of these elements. In case of mango leaves, the samples were found inadequate for N, P, S and Zn with 77, 22, 44 and 56 per cent deficiency, respectively. Guava leaf samples showed inadequacies of N, P and Zn and deficiencies were 44, 44 and 30 per cent, respectively. Ber leaves showed in adequacies of N and P with both at 35 per cent each. Organic carbon, pH and calcium carbonate were the predominant factors, affecting the availability of these nutrients in these soils. A positive and significant correlation was observed between organic carbon and N, Zn, Fe and Mn. Generally, a negative correlation was observed between pH and calcium carbonate with available nutrients. Clay did not exert any dominant influence. Soil nutrient status at four depths was significantly correlated with the corresponding leaf nutrient status in case of N, P, K, S and Zn. Similarly, significant positive correlations were observed between soil N and P up to a depth of 60 cm with leaf N and P. Soil Zn and S showed significant positive correlation with their corresponding leaf Zn and S at all the four depths. Results of these studies indicated that marginally suitable soil conditions coupled with in-adequate and imbalanced use of manures and fertilizers seems to be the main reason of poor yield and quality of many orchards in Jammu region. There is ample scope to increase the yield of fruits by proper nutrition of the fruit plants in the region.
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