Management of soil quality through assessment of macro and secondary nutrient status of Sindkheda tehsil of Dhule district (M.S.)

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during the year 2014-2015 with the aim to study the nutrients status of soils in Sindkheda tehsil of Dhule district for proper soil quality management for better crop production and maintaining soil health. The study area comes under scarcity zone. Total 201 soil samples (0-22.5cm depth) from the 67 villages were analyzed for their fertility status and mapped by geographic information system (GIS) technique. The exact locations of soil samples were recorded with the help of GPS. The results indicated that all samples were slightly acidic to moderately alkaline in soil reaction (6.62-8.84), non-saline (0.12 -0.86 dS m-1), very low to high in organic carbon (1.1-9.9 g kg-1) and calcium carbonates ranged from (7.75-16.0 %). Regarding to macro and secondary nutrients, the available N, P and K which ranged between (125.44-288.51 kg ha-1), (5.36-30.74 kg ha-1) and (204.8-604.8 kg ha-1), respectively, whereas exchangeable Ca (20.0-35.8 cmol (p+) kg-1) and Mg (10-19.8 cmol (p+)kg-1) was sufficient in soils and available S is ranged between (7.8-45.56 mg kg-1) was slightly deficient to sufficient in soil.