DineshGill, Ankit2024-04-102024-04-102023-03https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810208260A study on “Pedological characterization and classification of soils under different land use in Eastern Agroclimatic Zone of Haryana” was conducted. Visual interpretation of IRS-P6 and ArcGIS (Version 10.8.2) satellite imagery (FCC) of 1:50000 scales were used for the preparation of base map of the area and different geomorphic units i.e., shiwalik hills, recent alluvial plains and old alluvial plains were identified and delineated. Keeping in view the relationship between physiography, soils and different land use in the study area, eighteen pedons were excavated morphologically in the field and physico-chemical, biological and mineralogically in laboratory. Morphological characteristics revealed that matrix colour of soils of the area varied from dark brown (7.5YR) to yellowish brown (10YR) in colour, with dominant hue of 10YR. The soils of shiwalik hills were medium to moderately heavy, recent alluvial plains were light and old alluvial plains were light to heavy in texture. The soils were found structureless to strong in grade, fine to coarse in class and subangular blocky in type of structure. Calcium carbonate nodules were absent in all the pedons of shiwalik hills and recent alluvial plains. Irregular distribution of clay content with depth was observed in few pedons of shiwalik hills and recent alluvial plains. Bulk density, particle density, porosity and water holding capacity varied from 1.17 to 1.52 Mg m-3, 2.40 to 2.82 Mg m-3, 43.24 to 54.12 % and 42 to 51 % respectively. A significant positive correlation between moisture retention and water holding capacity with clay and organic carbon was observed. The penetration resistance is decreasing in order shiwalik hills< old alluvial plains<recent alluvial plains. The infiltration rate of the study was found very high in all the pedons. The soil pH, EC, organic carbon, CEC, CaCO3, ESP and BSP of study area were ranged from 7.5 to 8.5, 0.07 to 1.70 dS m-1, 0.08 to 0.81 %, 5.60 to 23.17 cmol (p+) kg-1, 0.09 to 1.32 %, 1.36 to 16.75 % and 80 to 99 %, respectively. The C-fractions followed the order as very labile>labile>less labile>recalcitrant in all the pedons of intensive land use. Among the exchangeable cations calcium was the dominant followed by magnesium, sodium and potassium; and exchangeable anions followed the order sulphate>chloride>bicarbonate>carbonate. The available N, P and K were ranged from 64 to 274, 5 to 38 and 75 to 398 kg ha-1 and DTPA extractable Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu were found in the range of 0.11 to 4.58, 1.62 to 27.57, 0.87 to 28.04 and 0.15 to 1.78 mg kg-1. The concentration of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Co & Ni) was found negligible in most of the studied pedons whereas Cr was not detected in any of the pedons. Among the chemical composition SiO2 was the dominant followed by Al2O3and Fe2O3. Quartz and feldspars were the dominated minerals in all the soil pedons. The soil MBC and MBN in all the pedons of study area were ranged from 72 to 274 and 8 to 44 mg kg-1 and the urease, dehydrogenase and phosphatase activity ranged from 19 to 78 (μg NH4+ -N g-1 h-1), 17.4 to 52.1 (μgTPFg-1soil 24hr-1) and 102 to 366 (μg PNP g-1soil h-1), respectively. The ground water quality of these areas was non-saline. non-sodic in nature and was found suitable for irrigation for all the crops. Taxonomically, the soils of study area were placed under Entisols, Inceptisols and Alfisols orders.EnglishThesis