Micronutrients status and zinc forms distribution in soils under paddy land cover in Shringeri taluk in hilly zone of Karnataka

Abstract

Rice is staple crop for most of the people in Karnataka, in due days its productivity and production is reducing due to improper application of fertilizers, specially, the zinc. This study was undertaken to know the status of micronutrients and zinc fractions in soils under paddy land cover in Shringeri taluk. The results showed that, the soils are acidic in nature with pH of 4.22 to 5.03, organic carbon in range of 4.5 to 21.00 g kg-1. The available zinc ranged from 0.39 to 2.81 mg g-1, it showed that 94.74 per cent of soils were sufficient in zinc nutrition. The distribution of zinc fractions followed the order: water-soluble < carbonate bound < organic matter bound < easily reducible manganese bound < iron and aluminum oxide bound < sorbed zinc < residual zinc.