Characterization and classification of soils under organic cultivation at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Centre of excellence for organic farming, CCSHAU, Hisar
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Date
2023-06
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CCSHAU, Hisar
Abstract
The study was carried out at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Centre of Excellence for Organic Farming
(DDUCE-OF), CCSHAU, Hisar to characterize and classify soils under organic cultivation. A detailed soil
survey was done in which 89 surface and subsurface soil samples were collected with GPS coordinates and
analysed in laboratory for physico-chemical and microbial properties. Seven pedons were also excavated
and their morphological and physico-chemical properties were studied and classified. The result of surface
and subsurface samples revealed that the texture ranged from sandy loam to loam and Bulk density ranged
from 1.42 to 1.58 Mg m-3. The pH of organic farm was neutral to alkaline in nature and EC was non saline
to saline in surface soils. However, Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and available P were medium to high in
surface and low to medium in subsurface soils whereas available N, K and S were low, medium to high and
very high respectively in all the samples. TC, TOC and CEC decreased whereas TIC and CaCO3 increased
with depth. Available Zn was deficient to sufficient in both surface and subsurface soils whereas available
Mn, Fe and Cu were sufficient. MBC, Dehydrogenase activity and Phosphatase activity ranged from 190.02
to 462.74 mg kg-1, 44.93 to 110.73 μg TPF/g soil/24 h and 117.39 to 252.73 μg PNP/g soil/h respectively.
Soil Fertility maps were prepared using Arc GIS vs 10.5. The colour of all the studied pedons was
yellowish brown with dominant hue of 10YR and values varied from 3 to 5, whereas chroma varied from 2
to 4. Particle size analysis revealed that sand constitutes the major proportion of the mechanical fraction.
The structure of the studied pedons were weak to moderate, medium and sub angular blocky whereas
consistency ranged from sticky plastic to slightly sticky slightly plastic. Bulk density, Infiltration rate and
Penetration resistance ranged from 1.36 to 1.44 Mg m-3, 1.22 to 1.43 cm hr-1 and 2.47 to 3.03 MPa
respectively. In general, the soils were neutral to strongly alkaline (7.49 to 10.37) in nature, non saline,
calcareous (0.43 to 11.49 %). In all the pedons, cations followed the following order: Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ >
K+. CEC, ESP and BSP ranged from 6.93 to 15.85 cmol (p+) kg-1, 11.35 to 19.46 % and 91.20 to 98.66 %
respectively. The amount of organic carbon was low to medium (0.05 to 0.55 %). Soils of all the pedon
were low in N (28.22 - 148.18 kg ha-1), low to medium in P (4.98 - 15.93 kg ha-1) and low to high in K
(63.84 to 459.20 kg ha-1). The DTPA-extractable Zn, Mn, Cu and Fe content of pedons ranged from 0.02 to
5.08 mg kg-1, 4.06 to 12.73 mg kg-1, 0.72 to 1.40 mg kg-1 and 3.59 to 23.14 mg kg-1 respectively. According
to Soil Taxonomy, soils were classified under Inceptisols order as Fine to Coarse loamy, Mixed,
Calcareous, Hyperthermic, Typic Haplustepts. According to Land Capability Classification, the soils were
classified under LCC class I (pedon 1, 2, 6 and 7) whereas pedon 3 was putted under LCC class IIs and
pedon 4 and 5 were classified as LCC class IIIes. Soils were found to be highly suitable (S1) for Wheat,
Sugarcane, Paddy, Oilseeds, Forestry and Horticulture but for Maize crop the soils were found to be
moderately suitable (S2) according to Soil Suitability Criteria for different crops. According to Soil
Irrigability classification, all the pedons were highly suitable (S1) for irrigation except pedon 4 and 5 (S1d)
which had slight limitation of soil drainage.