Distribution and fractionation of Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu in different soil series of Haryana
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Date
2017
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Publisher
CCSHAU
Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the depth-wise distribution and concentration of
available, Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu in different soil series of Haryana. Soil samples were collected from each
soil series at four different depths using Global Positioning System (GPS). Results showed that the soils
were coarse textured to moderately fine textured, neutral to alkaline in reaction, safe in electrical
conductivity, low to medium in OC content and non-calcareous to calcareous in nature. The DTPAextractable
Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu contents ranged from 0.16-3.70, 1.81-22.09, 1.79-13.72 and 0.07-2.74
mg kg-1, respectively. Maximum concentration was recorded in surface soil and it decreased with depth.
Soil pH in general showed a negative correlation while OC was significantly and positively correlated
with DTPA-Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu. The overall availability of micronutrient Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu at soil
surface was sufficient. There was sharp decrease in nutrient index values for Zn and Fe as compared to
Mn and Cu with increase in soil depth. Fifty percent of the profile samples contain available Zn below
the critical value while 31.9% of the samples were found deficient in Fe. Whereas, only 2.8 and 4.2% of
the profile samples tested were below the critical limit of Mn and Cu, respectively. With regard to
distribution of these micronutrients in soil fractions, total amounts of the elements ranged from 36.02 to
72.45 mg kg-1 for Zn and 689.47 to 1560.56 mg kg-1 for Fe, and 329.75 to 427.50 and 18.15 to 49.20 mg
kg-1 for Mn and Cu, respectively. A sequential fractionation showed that 0.4-1.9% of total Zn was
exchangeable, 2.1-7.7% was OM-Zn and 3.5-17.6% was CaCO3-Zn. The corresponding values for Fe
and Mn were 0.01-0.4, 0.3-1.3, 0.2-0.3% and 0.6-1.0, 3.0-11.9, 0.8-4.6%, respectively. The amounts of
soil Cu in Ex-, OM- and CaCO3 -, comprised 1.0-2.5, 0.9-2.2 and 8.5-28.7% of total Cu, respectively.
The different forms of Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu were mainly associated in the residual fraction. The
coefficients of correlation (r) for Ex- fractions responded significantly with clay and OC content. Resibound
fractions were positively and significantly correlated with most of the soil properties. The results
of the incubation study with respect to periodical changes showed that in general as the period of
incubation increased, a gradual decrease in soil Zn was noticed up to 60 DAI while the amount of
DTPA-extractable Mn and Fe increased initially (up to 10 and 30 DAI, respectively) and thereafter
consistent decrease was observed towards the later period of incubation. The DTPA-extractable Cu also
showed more or less same release behavior with advancement of incubation period.