Status of available major nutrients in soils of Gandhi nagar district of Gujarat

Abstract

A study was undertaken to outline the status of obtainable major nutrients and chemical properties of soils of Gandhinagar district of Gujarat. Total 160 representative surface soil samples (forty soil samples from each taluka) were collected from farmers’ fields during April, 2016 using multistage stratified random sampling. The collected soil samples were analyzed for available major (N, P, K and S) and chemical properties viz., electrical conductivity (EC), soil reaction (pH) and organic carbon. Soils of Gandhinagar district are mildly to moderately alkaline in reaction (pH 7.94) with low soluble salt content (EC 0.52 dS/m). The organic carbon status of soils of Gandhinagar district was low (0.38 %). The available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur content in these soils ranged from 78.6 to 376.3, 18.61 to 69.57, 114.24 to 645.33 kg/ha and 6.74 to 36.06 mg kg-1 with a mean value of 231.8, 41.06, 306 kg/ha and 18.97 mg kg-1, respectively. Out of 160 soil samples, 79.38 per cent were found to be low in available nitrogen status, 71.88 per cent were found to be medium in available phosphorus status, 50 per cent were found to be high in available potassium status and 48.75per cent were found to be high in available sulphur status.