Mapping of available nutrients in soils of Ambala district (Haryana)– A GIS approach

Abstract

SummaryThe current study was carried out to assess the GIS map-based soil fertility evaluation with regard to traditional soil testing in the Ambala. This study presents the soil spatial variability maps for soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, available N, P, K, S, Zn, B, Fe, Mn and Cu. Soil samples were collected during Rabi season of year 2015. Nearly 70 per cent samples had pH between 6.8 and 8.2. The electrical conductivity (EC) varied from 0.10 to 0.98 dS m -1 with an average value of 0.39 dS m -1 . The organic carbon (OC) in these soils ranged between 0.2 and 0.59 per cent with an average value of 0.37 per cent, the distribution of OC was 58, 42 and 0 per cent, respectively as low, medium and high rating. All the soil samples tested were found to be deficient in N. Only 18 per cent soil samples were deficient in available P, while 62 and 20 per cent samples had medium to high P status. Eighteen (18) per cent samples were found to be low, whereas 74 per cent samples were medium and remaining 10 per cent samples tested high in available K status. 28 per cent samples fell under low status and 40 per cent samples were medium and 32 per cent samples were in high S status. Majority of the soil (96%) samples were having low status of B. 14.00 per cent samples fell under medium status, 6.00 per cent samples were normal and 80.00 per cent samples were high in Zn status. All the soils had sufficient amount of Fe and Cu.

Soil fertility mapping of soil nutrients in areas adopting rice wheat cropping system in Karnal, Haryana

“…The available N content of the soils ranged from 86.0 -249.0 Kg ha -1 in Assandh, 79.4 -238. Similar results were reported by Gyawali et al (2016) [18] in Kaithal district and Guru Prem et al (2017) [17] in Ambala District of Haryana and documented that all the samples analyzed were deficient in available N content in the soil.…”

“…High base saturation or semiarid environments with irregular rainfall which cause ions to accumulate in plough layer can also be the reason for alkaline nature of the soil. The neutral to alkaline pH may be attributed to the reaction of applied fertilizer material with soil colloids, [17,18,23] .…”

“…The probable reason for low to medium organic carbon content in these areas may be attributed to good aeration of soil and high rate of organic matter decomposition under hyperthermic temperature regime which led to extremely high oxidizing conditions (Gyawali et al, 2016) [18] . Due to continuous, ricewheat cropping system since long and burning of residues after harvest might have resulted in low organic carbon in the soil over a period of time (Guru Prem et al, 2017) [17] .…”

“…The range of available P in rice growing soils was considerably large which might be due to change in soil properties viz., pH, OC content, texture and various management practices which affects the availability/fixation/ transformation of phosphorus in the soil (Gyawali et al, 2016) [18] . As efficiency of applied P is very low and it comes in available form very slowly and plants take up only 10-40 per cent of applied P during the growing season (Aulakh and Pasricha, 1999; Guru Prem et al, 2017; Khokhar et al, 2022) [2,17,23] and the rest resides in the soils as less soluble products. It is also recommended that in case of paddy, the application of DAP could be omitted, if recommended dose of it is applied to previous crop wheat.…”

“…The high S status of soil may be due to the continuous application of S containing fertilizer i.e. ZnSO 4 in the rice-wheat cropping system which contains 10-15% S. Gyawali et al (2016) [18] observed that approximately 76% of analyzed samples for available S fall under high category, while 12% area of Kaithal district was found deficient in available S. Intensification of agriculture with high yielding varieties and multiple cropping coupled with use of high analysis sulphur free fertilizers along with restricted or no use of organic manures have accrued in depletion of soil sulphur reserve (Guru Prem et al, 2017) [17] . Almost similar trend were also observed by Narwal et al (2011) [29] .…”