EVALUATION OF SOIL FERTILITY AND UNDER GROUND WATER QUALITY OF SURENDRANAGAR DISTRICT OF SAURASHTRA REGION
Loading...
Files
Date
2004-08
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
JAU, JUNAGADH
Abstract
An attempt has been made in the present study to evaluate the fertility status of soils of Surendranagar district and quality of underground well/tube well waters by collecting 200 surface soil samples and 164 under ground irrigation water samples from cultivated fields of the district.
The results of fertility status revealed that the soils were deficient with respect to available N (157.5 kg ha-1), P2O5 (18.62 kg ha-1) and S (6.48 mg ha-1) whereas, high in available K2O (449 kg ha-1). Among micronutrients, Fe (12.77 mg ha-1), Mn (10.67 mg ha-1) and Cu (1.20 mg ha-1) were found sufficient, whereas, the soils were medium in Zn (0.644 mg ha-1).
The organic carbon was low to medium (5.95 g kg-1). The soils of Surendranagar district are calcareous in nature (CaCO3 48.59 g kg-1). The CEC value was 28.50 cmol(p+) kg-1 indicating light to medium textures of soils.
The results further indicated that the dominance of Ca (16.203 cmol(p+) kg-1) and Mg (10.192 cmol(p+) kg-1) among the exchangeable cations while, among the water soluble ions, Na+(8.22 me l-1) and Cl– (7.488 me l-1) were found in higher proportion indicating NaCl as the dominant salt in soil solution.
Correlation between and among fertility and salinity/sodicity indices of soils showed that EC2.5 had significant relationships with pH (r = 0.1714**), ESP (r = 0.2964**), SAR (r = 0.8778**), organic carbon (r = 0.1590**) and P2O5 (r = 0.1476**). Similarly pH2.5 had significant relations with CaCO3 content (r = 0.4219**), ESP (r = 0.7308**) and P2O5 (r = 0.1943**). There was a highly significant correlation between SAR and ESP (r = 0.2390**) of soil.
Almost half of the samples of water from cultivated fields are saline (EC > 2.25 dS m-1). The EC values were ranged between 0.4 and 12.0 with a mean value of 3.51 dS m-1. The waters are alkaline in reaction (mean pH value 7.82). The SAR values were ranged from 1.47 to 140.7 with a mean value of 14.5.
Thus major constrains of the soils of Surendranagar district are low fertility of N, P, S and Zn and salinity of soils and waters. Low fertility problem confined to the talukas with light textured soils and salinity problem was severe in talukas with comparatively heavier textured soils.
Description
Keywords
null