Status and Form of Magnesium in Some Major Soil Series of Chotanagpur And Santhal Paraganas Region And Response of Crop to its Application
Loading...
Date
1999
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi
Abstract
Magnesium is an essential plant nutrient. In order to assess the Mg status of soils of Bihar plateau four catena were selected consisting of eight soil series (Umendanda. Debatoli, Jorsol-2, Bandhdi, Pusaro, Karya, Dumka and Lakshmipur). Soil analysis reveal that >60 per cent soils of Jorsol-2 series were deficient in exchangeable Mg. This was followed by soils of Umendanda sereis. The rest of the soil series were fairly adequate in exchangeable Mg content.
Profile studies reveal that exchangeable Mg increased with depth of profile while total Mg was highest in the third layer (0.30-0.45 m depth). The highest total Ca accumulation was below the surface layer (0.15-0.30 m depth) but exchangeable Ca was in the third layer (0.30-0.45 m). Organic matter accumulation was higher on the surface and decreased in subsoil. Exchangeable K was almost similar throughout the profiles.
To the effect of Mg application on the yield, nutrient content and uptake by crops, two sets of field experiments were laid out on Ranchi catena with groundnut wheat and soybean-potato crop rotation. The treatments consisted of three levels of Mg (10, 20, 30 kg Mg ha'') cach through MgO and MgSO, 7HO, presence and absence of FYM, one FYM alone and a control (NPK alone), replicated thrice in randomized block design. Results indicate that the yield, Mg concentration and Mg uptake increased with Mg application.