CHARACTERIZATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MAJOR CASHEW GROWING SOILS OF SOUTHERN KARNATAKA USING REMOTE SENSING TECHNIQUE
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Date
2009-08-15
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
Abstract
Identification, characterization, classification and suitability evaluation of soils of
cashew growing areas of Southern Karnataka was carried out in Dakshina Kannada
district. Six pedons were studied throughout the major cashew growing areas of
Dakshina Kannada district representing the major climatic zones. The study area has got
favourable climatic factors except rainfall that are highly suitable for cashew cultivation.
Horizon wise soil samples were analyzed for soil morphological, physical and chemical
properties classified and evaluated for their suitability for growing cashew. Among the
soil-site characteristics, texture, coarse fragments and physiography were found to be
medium to highly suitable for cashew cultivation. The soils were sandy clay loam to clay
in texture, very deep in depth, dark brown to red in colour, strongly to moderately acidic
in soil reaction, medium to high organic carbon status and low cation exchange capacity
and base saturation. Among the exchangeable bases, exchangeable calcium was found to
be low in most soils, followed by magnesium, sodium and potassium. Further, the soils
were medium to high in available nitrogen, very low in available phosphorus, medium to
high in available potassium and low to medium in available sulphur. Among the DTPA
extractable micronutrients, iron and manganese were rich in most soils, which available
zinc was deficient. Based on the characteristics, these cashew soils were classified as
Ustic Haplohumults, Oxic Dystrustepts, Rhodic Kanhaplustults, Ustic Palehumults and
Typic Paleustults. Soils of Pala hillock, Muchipadavu and Agricultural Research Station
(ARS) Ullal were highly suitable for cashew cultivation with no or slight limitations,
where as sites of National Research Centre for Cashew (NRCC) farm, Mulia and
Palikudel have got moderate limitations of either of high rainfall, low soil depth, coarse
fragments or topography. All other factor remained highly suitable to cashew.
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