Mapping of nutrients status in soils of Kishtwar and Ramban districts of J&K using geographic information system (GIS)
Loading...
Date
2018-11
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu, Jammu
Abstract
A study was carried out to assess nutrient status of Kishtwar and Ramban districts located at 32° 53´ to 34°21´N latitude and 75°1´ to 76° 47´E longitude and 33o 14’N to 75o 17’E longitudes and experiences temperate and Subtropical type of climate respectively. Composite surface soil samples from one hundred sixty seven (167) and one hundred fourteen (114) locations distributed randomly across the whole of the districts were collected at the depth of 0-15cm using global positioning system (GPS).Inverse distance weighting (IDW) technique was adopted to generate prediction maps of the soil properties. The choice of either technique to prepare filled contour maps of soil properties was based upon error analysis. The process of digitization and generation of maps was carried out with ArcGIS 10.3. Sandy loam and clay loam texture were usually dominant textural groups in Kishtwar and Ramban districts, respectively. Sand content in Kishtwar district was mainly less than 20 per cent, also strips of 40 to 60 per cent sand were present across the district. Whole of the tehsil Padder and major area of tehsil Kishtwar of district Kishtwar was having sand content between 20-40 per cent. In Ramban district majority of area had sand between 20 – 40 per cent. Some area in the form of small patches in Banihal tehsil of Ramban district was having sand content less than 20 per cent. Whereas in Ramban tehsil some area had sand content greater than 60 per cent. In case of silt, major area of Kishtwar district had silt content between 30 to 40 per cent on both east and west ends. In the central part of the district silt content varied from 20 to 30 per cent, with some scattered patches having greater than 40 per cent silt. Half of the area of Ramban district spreading over north and south ends had silt content ranging between 30- 40 per- cent, whereas other half of the area located in the central part of the district had silt content between 20-30 per cent. Silt content in some patches of the district was greater than 20 per cent, whereas a very small area in the form of scattered patches had silt content less than 20 per cent. In case of clay content major area of Kishtwar district had 20-30 per cent clay followed by the area on central and eastern side of the district having 30- 40 per cent clay. In Ramban district clay content varied from 30 -40 per cent in majority of the area present on the northern and southern sides. Whereas it was 20 -30 per cent in rest of the area between the two ends. Soils in few patches scattered over the district had clay content between 40 -50 per cent, whereas few patches with small area towards southern part of the district had clay content less than 20 per cent. Soils of almost entire district of Kishtwar were found to be neutral in reaction. Very small patches of the district were having soils with acidic and basic reactions. Soils of almost half of the Ramban district towards south-west and northern side were neutral in reaction, whereas soils of the area on the eastern and central part of district were basic in reaction. EC was found to be within the safe limits in both the districts, however EC of soils of both districts had great variation. Western side of Kishtwar was having EC ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 dS m-1 and on eastern side it varied between 1.0 and 1.5 dS m-1. Some strips across north and southern side of Kishtwar district had EC between 1.5 and 3.0 dS m-1. In Ramban district soils on northern and southern side had EC mainly in between 0.5 to 1.0 dS m-1 and on eastern and western side it was mainly in the range of 1.5- 3.0 dS m-1. Soil organic carbon (OC) of both the districts was in high range (>12.5 g/kg) especially in forest blocks. In Kishtwar district, Marwah tehsil had higher content of OC ranging from 12.5 to 20.0 g/kg. In rest of the district it ranged between 7.5-12.5 g/kg. Major part of Ramban district had OC ranging from 7.5-12.5 g/kg, whereas central part of the district covering Banihal tehsil had lower OC (0.5-7.5 g/kg) as compared to Ramban tehsil. While comparing two districts higher content of OC was recorded in Kishtwar district. Available nitrogen (N) was not limiting in the entire Kishtwar district. In Marwah and Padder tehsils of Kishtwar district majority area was having N in medium range (420-560 kg/ha). In Central part of the district stretching from north-east to southern side had N in the medium range (280-420 kg/ha). In Ramban N varied from 280-560 kg/ha with some patches greater than 560 kg/ha, northern part of District covering Banihal tehsil and part of Ramban tehsil had N in Medium to High range (480-560 kg/ha), area lying on eastern and western part of Ramban tehsil of the district had N in medium range (280-420 kg/ha). Available Phosphorus (P) in whole of the Kishtwar district was sufficient. Major part of the district had available P in high range (25.0 to 50.0 kg/ha), whereas some central part of district lying in Chatro tehsil was having P in medium range (12.5-25.0 kg/ha). In Ramban district also major part was having available P in the high range (25.0-50.0kg/ha), whereas some areas on the northern side of the district covering Banihal tehsil had P in medium range (12.5-25.0 kg/ha). Available potassium (K) in whole of the Kishtwar district was mainly in high range from 500 to 750 kg/ha. North, northwest and south east area of the district covering part of Marwah, Chathro and Padder tehsil was having high content of K ranging from 500-750kg/ha. Whereas central part of the district stretching from north-east to southern side had available K in high range (280- 500 kg/ha). Major part of Ramban district had available K in the high range (280-500 kg/ha). Other area of the district lying on eastern and northern side was having K in medium range (110- 280 kg/ha). Secondary nutrients Calcium, Magnesium and Sulphur were in medium to high range in almost entire areas of both of the districts, except in some areas of Ramban district where they were on lower side. Almost whole of the Kishtwar district had secondary nutrients in high range, except some strips in the district having nutrients in medium range. In Ramban district some area on the northern tip had very high content of secondary nutrients. Western part of Ramban district covering part of Ramban tehsil had secondary nutrients in low range, whereas in middle part of the district they were in medium range. Rest of the district had nutrients in high range. Calcium in majority area of Kishtwar was in the range of 15-20 m.eq/100g, whereas in case of district Ramban on western side of tehsil Ramban it was less than 10 m.eq/100g. Exchangeable Magnesium also followed the same trend. All the micronutrients except zinc (Zn) in soils of both the districts were sufficient and well above the critical limit (0.6 ppm). As such their was no problem of their deficiency. Soils of south-eastern part of Kishtwar district covering Padder tehsil and centrally located elongated strip stretching from north east to south were deficient in DTPA zinc content. Available copper was mainly sufficient in both the districts except some negligible patches in Chattro tehsil of Kishtwar district where it was found deficient. In Kishtwar district, Chattro tehsil recorded higher iron content as compared to other tehsils of the district. In Ramban district Ramban Tehsil had higher iron than that in Banihal tehsil.
Description
Keywords
null