Status of available major nutrients in soils of Banaskantha district of Gujarat

Abstract

A study was undertaken to assess the status of available major nutrients in soils of Banaskantha district of Gujarat. About Forty representative surface (0-15 cm) soil samples were collected from farmer’s field of each taluka. The soil samples were analysed for pH, EC, organic carbon, available N, P2O5, and K2O. Soils of Banaskantha district are moderately alkaline in reaction (pH2.5 7.84) with low soluble salt content (EC 0.35 dS/m).The organic carbon status of soils of Banaskantha district was low (0.30 %). The available N, P2O5 and K2O content in these soils ranged from 47.00 to 376.3, 15.6 to 95.8 and 107.5 to 873.6 kg/ha with a mean value of 228.4, 45.8 and 288.4 kg/ha, respectively. On the basis of nutrient index value, soils of Banaskantha district were very low in available nitrogen, marginal in available phosphorus and high in available potassium status. Highly significant and positive correlation was observed between organic carbon with available nitrogen (r = 0.710**). Available P2O5 (r = 0.126**) showed highly significant and positive correlation with available K2O.