Nutrient indexing of sulphur and its correlation studies with soil organic carbon and pH in the soils of Murshidabad and Purulia districts of West Bengal

Abstract

Keeping in consideration of the importance of sulphur as an essential plant nutrient and its occurrence of widespread deficiency in Indian soils, the present experiment was carried out in 2015-2016 with the objective of nutrient indexing of sulphur in soils of Murshidabad and Purulia districts of West Bengal and to study the correlation between the available soil sulphur and soil organic carbon as well as soil reaction. Results of available sulphur showed that 30.05, 27.78, 37.30 and 3.97 per cent of soil samples of Murshidabad were under deficient (40.0 mg kg-1) category, respectively. In Purulia soils, 56.71, 34.62 and 9.52 per cent of soil samples fell under deficient, low and medium category, respectively. The available sulphur status of Murshidabad and Purulia soils were categorised as medium and low as evident from their nutrient index values (NIV) of 1.46 and 1.04, respectively. A significantly negative correlation was recorded between available soil sulphur and soil pH in both the districts of Murshidabad (r = -0.471**) and Purulia (r = -0.526**). Significantly positive correlation was observed between available soil sulphur and organic carbon content of soil for Murshidabad (r= 0.625**) as well as Purulia soils (r= 0.506**).