SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF SALTS IN THE SOILS OF VINEYARD AT BAGALKOT
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Date
2019-08
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University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot
Abstract
Soils and groundwater of Bagalkot district inherently possess high salt contents.
Grape, a commercially important fruit crop of the district, is highly sensitive to salt.
Grape growers practice drip method for both irrigation and fertigation. Which
encourages salt accumulation and thus, influencing both grape yields and quality.
A soil survey was carried out in 69 vineyards to assess the soil salinity
parameters. Majority of soils were found in slight to moderately alkaline pH range (7.09
– 8.47) while, the salinity ranged from slight to moderately saline (0.69 - 1.69 dS m-1).
Water soluble cations in soils were found in the order of Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ while,
the anions were in the order- Cl- > HCO3
- > SO4
2. The water samples were also analysed
from 20 vineyards and the water samples were mostly observed in slightly alkaline
range (6.89 to 7.64). The electrical conductivity of water ranged from 0.16 to 1.42 dS m-
1. The cations in the water samples were in the order of Mg2+ > Ca2+ > Na+ > K+ while,
the anions were in the order Cl- > HCO3
- > SO4
-2.
A detailed study was carried out separately on spatial and temporal distribution
of salts in a selected grape vineyard. The spatial distribution of salts at 15cm (D1), 30cm
(D2), 75cm (D3) and 120cm (D4) from the plant rows were monitored at two different
depths (0-20cm, 20-40cm) and three different stages namely before back pruning (S1),
growth Stage (S2) and at harvesting Stage (S3). The vineyard was also categorized into
three different elevation zones - high (E1), mid (E2) and low (E3) regions to assess
movements of salts within the grape rows of the vineyard.
In the selected vineyard, pH of both surface and subsurface soils varied
significantly in the order D1 = D2 > D3 = D4. In terms of seasons, both surface and
subsurface soils recorded significantly higher pH values in samples at S1 stage
compared to S2 and S3 stages. Higher conductivity values were recorded in surface soils
(0.83 dS m-1) compared to subsurface (0.74 dS m-1) at all the 4 distances and 3
elevations during S1 and S3 stages. The soils present in low lying area (E3) recorded
higher mean electrical conductivity (0.91 to 0.99 dS m-1) compared to high (0.55 to 0.63
dS m-1) and mid elevation areas (0.76 to 0.86 dS m-1) (E1 and E2) of the vineyard.
Amounts of individual ions varied w.r.t. to elevations, distances and seasons in
the order of E3 > E2 > E1; D1 > D2 >D3 > D4 and S3 ≥ S1 > S2 respectively. However, the
water soluble K+ was differed during growth stage and found in the order S2 > S3 > S1.
Similarly, the Cl-1 among anions in subsurface soils was in the order D3 = D1 = D2 > D4.