CONSTRAINT ANALYSIS OF SOILS IN SOME PARTS OF PRAKASAM DISTRICT AND THEIR SUITABILITY FOR MAJOR CROPS
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Date
2014
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ACHARYA N. G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, RAJENDRANAGAR, HYDERABAD
Abstract
The present investigation involves " Constriant analysis of soils in some
parts of Prakasam district and their suitability for major crops ". For this, thirty
typical pedons from the study area in Prakasam district were studied for
physical, physico-chemical and chemical properties and their constraints for
crop production and suitability for major crops of the area.
The area is characterized by semi-arid monsoonic climate with distinct
summer, winter and rainy seasons. The pedons (P2, P3, P9, P10, P11, P12, P14,
P15, P18, P20, P21, P22, P24, P25, P26, P28 and P30) occurred in plains
whereas other pedons (P1, P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P13, P16, P17, P19, P23, P27
and P29) were located in uplands. The pedons in the study area had their
genesis from granite-gneiss barring P2, P17, P21 and P26 (alluvium) and P24
and P25 (sandstone).
The morphological features indicated the presence of AC/AR (P2, P4,
P8, P11, P17, P19 and P25) and ABC/ABR (P1, P3, P5, P6, P7, P9, P10, P12,
P13, P14, P15, P16, P18, P20, P21, P22, P23, P24, P26, P27, P28, P29 and
P30) profiles. The soils were shallow to very deep, dark yellowish brown to
reddish brown in colour, sand to clay (in horizons of different pedons) in
texture and had varied structure including single grain, sub-angular blocky and
angular blocky.
The clay content increased with depth in P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P9, P10,
P13, P15, P16, P18, P19, P20, P22, P23, P24, P25, P26, P28, P29 and P30 and
a decreasing trend was observed in P11, P12 and P17. However, remaining
pedons did not show any specific trend with depth. Physical constants like
water holding capacity and volume expansion followed the trend of clay
content. Most of the pedons exhibited more or less an increasing trend in bulk
density with depth.
These soils were near neutral to very strongly alkaline in reaction (6.02
to 10.48), non-saline (0.01 to 1.54 dS m-1) and low to medium in organic
carbon (0.01 to 0.72 per cent). These soils had CaCO3 ranging from 4.57 to
18.58 per cent in different horizons. The CEC varied from 3.48 to 53.85 cmol
(p+) kg-1 soil and dominated by Ca+2 followed by Mg+2, Na+ and K+.
The soils were low in available nitrogen (63 to 251 kg ha-1), low to high in
available phosphorus (5.29 to 44.45 kg ha-1) and potassium (53 to 862 kg ha-1)
and high in available sulphur (8.15 to 31.32 mg kg-1) except in the Bw2 horizon
of P9, 2A1 and 2A2 horizons of P11, Bw1 and Bw2 horizons of P12, 4Bw2
horizon of P20 and Bw2 horizon of P29.
The available zinc was deficient in P3, P5, P7, P10, P11, P12, P15, P16,
P17, P18, P19, P20, P21, P22, P24, P28 and P30, sufficient in P4, P6, P8, P23,
P25 and P26 and others exhibited deficiency in some horizons. The soils were
sufficient in available iron (except P23, P26 and P28), copper (except Bss3 and
3A3 horizons of P3 and P17, respectively) and manganese.
Smectitic clay mineralogy was observed in P1, P3, P4, P6, P7, P8, P9,
P10, P12, P14, P15, P16, P18, P19, P20, P21, P22, P23, P24, P25, P26, P27,
P28 and P30 whereas P5, P13 and P29 had mixed clay mineralogy. However,
P2, P11 and P17 exhibited siliceous mineralogy.
Based on morphological, physical, physico-chemical, mineralogical and
meteorological data, the soils in the study area of Prakasam district were
classified as Fine, smectitic, isohyperthermic Typic Haplustept (P1, P7, P9,
P15, P16, P18, P20, P23, P27 and P30); Sandy, siliceous, isohyperthermic
Typic Ustipsamment (P2); Fine, smectitic, isohyperthermic Typic Haplustert
(P3, P14, P21, P26 and P28); Fine-loamy, smectitic, isohyperthermic Lithic
Ustorthent (P4 and P8); Fine, mixed, isohyperthermic Typic Haplustept (P5,
P13 and P29); Fine-loamy, smectitic, isohyperthermic Typic Haplustept (P6,
and P12); Fine-loamy, smectitic, isohyperthermic Typic Haplustept (P22);
Sandy, siliceous, isohyperthermic Typic Ustorthent (P11 and P17); Fine-loamy,
smectitic, isohyperthermic Typic Ustorthent (P19 and P25); Fine, smectitic,
isohyperthermic Lithic Haplustept (P10 and P24).
The soil-site suitability evaluation indicated that P2, P9, P12, P13, P14,
P15, P18, P19, P20, P21, P23, P24, P26, P27, P28 and P29 were marginally
suitable (S3) and P1, P3, P5 and P17 were temporarily not suitable (N1) for
rice. P7, P11, P21, P26, P27 and P28 were moderately suitable (S2), P2, P6,
P9, P10, P12, P13, P14, P15, P16, P18, P19, P22, P23, P24, P25 and P29 were
marginally suitable (S3) and P1, P3 and P17 were temporarily not suitable (N1)
for cotton. P2, P6, P7, P9, P10, P11, P12, P14, P15, P16, P18, P21, P22, P23,
P24, P25, P26, P27 and P28 were marginally suitable (S3) and P1, P3, P17 and
P29 were temporarily not suitable (N1) for chickpea. P4, P9, P11, P12, P24 and
P27 were marginally suitable (S3) and P1, P2, P3, P6, P7, P8, P10, P13, P14,
P15, P16, P17, P18, P19, P21, P22, P23, P25, P26, P28 and P29 were
temporarily not suitable (N1) for tobacco. P14, P21 and P26 were highly
suitable (S1), P4, P6, P7, P8, P9, P10, P11, P12, P13, P15, P16, P18, P19, P22,
P23, P24, P25, P27 and P28 were moderately suitable (S2), P2 was marginally
suitable (S3) and P1, P3, P17 and P29 were temporarily not suitable (N1) for
sorghum.
The constraint analysis in the study area indicated physical (soil depth,
drainage / wetness and texture), physico-chemical (low organic carbon content,
high pH, CaCO3 content and alkalinity) and nutritional (available nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium, zinc and iron) constraints. Remedial measures were
suggested to overcome above constraints for sustaining soil fertility as well as
productivity.
Description
Keywords
clay, environmental degradation, area, environmental factors, land resources, soil sciences, humus, crops, clay minerals, carbon, CONSTRAINT, ANALYSIS, SOILS, PRAKASAM DISTRICT, MAJOR CROPS