Physico-chemical properties and distribution of nutrients in different type of calcareous vertisols

Abstract

A survey work was conducted during summer season of 2013 in different type of calcareous soils from Raichur, Shahapur and Surpur (Sholapur) taluks and was investigated in order to provide detailed information on their physico-chemical properties and nutrients distribution. The clay content of slightly, moderately and strongly calcareous soils are relatively high (>40%). The average soil reaction from slightly, moderately and strongly calcareous soils 8.04, 8.47 and 8.43, respectively. These soils were slightly saline to saline and organic carbon for these soils remained low to medium. Average cation exchange capacity value was highest in strongly calcareous soils (67.85 c mol kg-1) followed by moderately (66.37 c mol kg-1) and slightly calcareous soils (56.18 c mol kg-1). The CaCO3 content variation in these soils may be due to parent material, native CaCO3 content in soil profile and arid and semiarid climate. The available nutrients like N, P, K, S and micronutrients are low in strongly calcareous soils followed by moderately and slightly calcareous soils. Available nutrients relatively high in case of slightly calcareous soils. Higher values of exchangeable Ca and Mg were recorded in strongly calcareous soils.