TRIPATHI, D.KAKAR, RIDHAM2017-05-092017-05-092014http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810010822ABSTRACT The amount of nutrients removed in harvested crops are generally much higher than the quantity added and hence resulting in exhaustive mining of nutrients from the soil, thus increasing the nutrient related stresses and yield losses. The problem has been further aggravated due to introduction of heavy nutrient feeders and high yielding hybrid varieties. Therefore, the present study was undertaken in 2013-14 to study the nutritional status of Saproon valley of H.P in surface and sub-surfacesoils and to work out a relationship between soil and leaf nutrient status, in order to get higher and sustainable production of vegetable crops. The pH ranged from 6.16 to 7.94 and EC of the surface and sub-surface soils ranged from 0.09 to 1.02 and 0.11 to 0.49 dS m -1 , respectively. The organic carbon content varied from 5.70 to 32.60 and 0.30 to 20.50 g kg -1 in the surface and sub-surface soils, respectively. Available N content ranged from 254.02 to 542.53 and 203.84 to 435.90 kg ha -1 in surface and sub-surface soils, respectively. In surface soils, available P content ranged from 11.20 to 156.80 kg ha -1 whereas, in sub-surface soils, it ranged from 2.24 to 98.56 kg ha -1 . In surface soils available K content ranged from 147.72 to 1915.20 kg ha -1 with and in sub-surface soils it ranged from 165.32 to 1377.60 kg ha -1 . The soils of the valley are medium in available N but high inP and K content. The neutral normal ammonium acetate extractable Ca and Mg content ranged from 1.53 to 7.11 and 1.10 to 3.67 [cmol (p + ) kg -1 ], with mean values of 3.98 [cmol (p + ) kg -1 ] and 2.43 [cmol (p + ) kg -1 ], irrespective of soil depth. The valley are rich in exchangeable Ca and Mg. Soils of the valley are high in nutrient status with regard to DTPA-Fe, Mn and Cu, medium with respect to DTPA-Zn and low with respect to available S. Macro and micro nutrient elements were found to decrease with soil depth. The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in tomato leaf samples variedfrom 3.45 to 5.77, 0.28 to 0.89 per cent and 2.10 to 4.40 per cent. The average concentration of Ca, Mg andS in tomato leaf samples was recorded as 2.23, 1.17 and 0.46 per cent, respectively, showing adequacy of nutrient content in the leaf samples. The majority of leaf samples are sufficient in leaf micronutrient status.OC showed a positive and significant correlation with the nutrient status of the soil. A negative and significant correlation was found between pH and leaf Fe, Mn and Cu content. A negative and significant correlation was worked out between available K content and leaf Ca and Mg. A highly positive and significant correlation of leaf nutrient status with the nutrient status of surface soils indicates that, surface soil is contributing more towards nutrient uptake by the tomato plant. Addition of sulphur andzinc along with FYM and N, P and K fertilizers will help in achieving higher and sustainable production.enThesis