Available nutrient and fertility status of soils of Ratnagiri district

Abstract

The agriculture and the other allied activities and in turn the prosperity and economic growth of a country depend on the soil resource. Soil is the basic source to produce food, fodder, fuel and fiber - the necessities of the human being. It is, therefore, important to understand the inherent potential and limitations of soil for managing it for sustained production in various seasons. Attempt has been made to examine the soil temporal variability of macronutrients in Ratnagiri District of Konkan region, Maharashtra. viz. Nitrogen, Phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen was determined by alkaline permanganate method, phosphorus was calculated by Flame photometer and potassium was determined spectrophotometer. The available nitrogen content of the soil samples ranged from 107.32 to 602.11 kg ha-1 with mean value of 319 kg ha-1 2.4 to 18.8 kg ha-1 surface soils was medium to very low in available phosphorus. The available potassium content ranged from 99.86 to 720.86 kg ha-1 with a mean value of 344 kg ha-1 at surface, majority of the soils in medium to high potassium. The nutrient index values of the surface soils under study were low to medium in available nitrogen with value 1.5 to 1.75, low in available, phosphorus and medium to high available potassium with values of 1.0 and 1.91 to 2.83 respectively. The fertilizer input rate and continuous discharging of industrial waste water on soil surface are causing nutrient imbalance.