Assessment of soil fertility status in warkhed watershed of Akola district, Maharashtra

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken during the year 2021-22 to 2022-23 with an aim to assess the fertility status of the soils of Warkhed watershed area of Akola district of Maharashtra. Eighty-five surface samples were collected and analyzed for various chemical parameters. The soils under study were observed to be neutral to strongly alkaline in reaction, free from soluble salt hazards and base enriched to calcareous in nature. In terms of fertility, soils were very low to high in organic carbon, very low to low in available nitrogen and very low to medium in phosphorus and moderately high to very high in potassium content. The available micronutrients viz. Fe and Zn showed deficiency in certain areas whereas Mn and Cu were adequate to high in most of the soils. The nutrient index value for soils were found to be moderate for organic carbon, low for available N and available P and high for available K. Low nutrient index value (NIV) was found for Fe, moderately high for Mn, very high for Cu and moderate for Zn.