Soil Characteristics under Different Agroforestry Land Use Systems in Semiarid Region

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the influence of various agroforestry systems on soil physicochemical and chemical parameters in the erstwhile Warangal district, Telangana during the year, 2022. Soil samples were collected from 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depths of different agroforestry land use systems (Eucalyptus, Malabar neem, Sandal wood, Red sanders, Teak, Subabul, Mango + Teak (border plantation), Malabar neem + Sandalwood, Red sanders + Sandalwood plantations) and barren land. The statistical analysis of the data revealed that the soil organic carbon and available nutrients were significantly higher in the surface soil depth (0-20 cm) than in the lower depth (20-40 cm) irrespective of agroforestry systems. Organic carbon and available nutrients were significantly more under all the agroforestry systems compared to barren land in two depths. There is significant interaction between the land use systems and soil depth. Significantly higher OC (5.12 g kg -1), CEC (18.3 c mol p+ kg-1) available N (198 kg ha-1) and available P2O5 (69 kg ha-1) were recorded at 0-20cm depth in eucalyptus plantation and significantly high K2O (530 kg ha-1) was recorded in the teak plantation. Soil organic carbon significantly and positively correlated with cation exchange capacity (r = 0.839**), available N (r = 0.900 **), available P2O5 (r = 0.408**) and available K2O (r = 0.521**) in all the agroforestry land use systems. Therefore, from this study it was reported that raising tree species in barren lands and also as border plantations improves soil fertility through the addition of leaf litter.