Difference in soil organic carbon content in various land uses and soil depths of lateritic belt of West Bengal

Abstract

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the key indicator of soil quality and overall sustainability of the environment. Information of OC in soil is very important as it influences chemical, physical and biological soil properties. In order to assess the difference in SOC content along depth and land uses and relationship of SOC with soil properties, a total of 54 soil samples were collected from 3 soil depths and 6 land uses of lateritic soil of Birbhum district of West Bengal. The soil physical properties like bulk density, particle density, sand, silt and clay content; chemical properties like pH, EC, OC, available N, P2O5, K2O, S were estimated following standard procedure. Results exhibited significant variation of SOC with soil depths and land uses. There was decrease in SOC value with increase in soil depth for all studied land uses. The SOC value was highest and lowest forest and fallow land respectively for all the soil depths. Unrelatedly of soil depths, forest land and fallow land recorded highest and lowest SOC respectively. But, unrelatedly of land uses, 0-20 cm and 40-60 cm soil depth noted highest and lowest SOC respectively. The value of SOC due to combined effect of depth and land uses was noted highest and lowest in 0-20 cm depth of forest and 40-60 cm depth of orchard land respectively. The soil pH, BD, sand and silt content exhibited significant negative correlation with SOC and available K2O and S and clay disclosed significantly positive correlation with SOC.