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Indian Journal of Pure & Applied Biosciences (IJPAB)
Year : 2020, Volume : 8, Issue : 6
First page : (67) Last page : (72)
Article doi: : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-2845.8163

Study of Soil Chemical Properties, Available Sulphur and Micronutrients Status of Soils in Solapur District of Maharashtra

S. S. Hadole¹, P. A. Sarap^1* , J. N. Parmar², S. R. Lakhe¹, O. S. Rakhonde³, D. T. Dhule⁴, E. Sathyanarayan⁵ and S. D. Nandurkar^1
1Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry,
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola – 444104, (M.S.) India
²Department of Agricultural Botany, Dr.PDKV, Akola – 444104, (M.S.) India
³Cotton Research Unit, Dr. PDKV, Akola – 444104, (M.S.) India
⁴College of Agriculture, Dr. PDKV, Akola – 444104, (M.S.) India
⁵Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500030
*Corresponding Author E-mail: psarapssac@gmail.com
Received: 5.05.2020 | Revised: 17.06.2020 | Accepted: 24.06.2020 

 ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate available sulphur and micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn and B) status of soils. The present study mainly focused on testing of soil samples in Solapur District in Maharashtra to determine their level of micronutrients and to provide information to farmers and extension functionaries. A survey was conducted in 2019-20 by All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Micro and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants under Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, (M.S.) in a view to have proper assessment of secondary and micronutrient status in soil of the district.  In the present investigation different chemical properties, available sulphur and micronutrients status was assessed in GPS based three hundred seven surface soil samples (0-20 cm) from 11 blocks in Solapur district of Maharashtra. The pH, EC, OC and CaCO3 of soils collected from the study area varied from 6.30 to 8.75, 0.02 to 0.59 dS m-1, 1.75 to 17.75 g kg‑1 and 2.67 to 13.37 percent, respectively.  Results further indicated that the 45.60, 76.55, 95.44, 70.03, 9.12 and 0.65 per cent soil samples were found to be deficient in S, Zn Fe, Mn, Cu and B, respectively.  The nutrient index values are low for zinc (1.27), iron (1.05) and manganese (1.32), medium for sulphur (1.84) and whereas high nutrient indices were observed for copper (2.48) and boron (2.77). The results obtained in the present study clearly showed a large variability in chemical properties of soil across the Solapur district.  This information could aid in decision making for application of plant nutrients for higher monetary returns to the farmers. 

Keywords: Micronutrients status, Available sulphur, GPS, Nutrient Index.

Full Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782

Cite this article: Hadole, S. S., Sarap, P. A., Parmar, J. N., Lakhe, S. R., Rakhonde, O. S., Dhule, D. T., Sathyanarayan, E., & Nandurkar, S. D. (2020). Study of Soil Chemical Properties, Available Sulphur and Micronutrients Status of Soils in Solapur District of Maharashtra, Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. 8(6), 67-72. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2582-2845.8163

INTRODUCTION

Soil is a vital resource in which proper use depends on the country and the socio-economic development of its people. Overexploitation of productive lands with increasing population pressure creates serious problem of lowering the fertility status of soil and it leads to deterioration of soil. Micronutrients in soils are very important for plant growth, soil fertility, animal nutrition and productivity (Renwick & Walkar, 2008). The deficiency of nutrients directly effects on the growth of crops and crop response become poor (Jagtap et al., 2018). Hence, for sustainability of the present agricultural system and for management of our soil resources, database regarding the fertility status of soils is required. Application of fertilizers by the farmers in fields without prior knowledge of soil fertility status might result in adverse effects on soils as well as crops both in terms of micronutrient deficiency and toxicity either by inadequate or overuse of fertilizers. With the invent of modern technologies of remote sensing, GIS and GPS, it is now possible to monitor the soil fertility and crop health through systematic surveys. This will be helpful to monitor the changes in fertility status of the studied area site specific nutrient requirement of the crop. It is anticipated that with higher yields and more intensive agriculture the secondary and micronutrient deficiency will increase both in amount and extent (NAAS, 2018). Imbalanced and inadequate use of fertilizers coupled with low use efficiency of other inputs led to decline in the response efficiency of chemical fertilizer nutrients under intensive agriculture in recent years. Keeping this in view, present study was taken up in Solapur district of Maharashtra.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA
Solapur district of Maharashtra is situated between 17° 10’ to 18° 32’ North latitude and 74° 42’ to 76° 15’ East longitude. Total geographical area of the district is 14,895 ha and is divided into Eleven talukas (Barshi, Mohol, North Solapur, South Solapur, Akkalkot, Pandharpur, Mangalvedhe, Sangole, Malshiras, Madha and Karmala). It is bounded from the North by Osmanabad district and Ahmednagar district, on the North-Eash by Satara district and at the South & East it has common boundary of Karanataka state. The rivers like Bhima, Sina, Man, Nira, Bhogawati and many other smaller tributaries drain in the district. Banana, cotton, jawar, sugancane, grapes, bajari, wheat are the main crops of district. 
SOIL SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
GPS based three hundred seven surface soil samples (0-20 cm) were collected from eleven talukas of Solapur district during the year 2019-20. The sampling villages were selected using stratified random method. The soil samples were processed and analyzed for pH and EC in soil: water suspensions (1:2.5 w/v) as described by Jackson (1973). Organic carbon was determined by Wet oxidation method described by Walkley and Black (Nelson and Sommers, 1982) and free CaCO3 was determined by Rapid titration method (Piper, 1966). Available S was estimated by turbidimetric method (Chesnin & Yien, 1951). Soil samples were extracted with 0.005M diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA) for estimation of available Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (Lindsay & Norvell, 1978).  Available boron was determined by 0.01 M CaCl2 extract with Azo-methine method (Berger & Troug, 1939). The nutrient indices were calculated by using the formula given by Parker et al. (1951) and categorized into low (<1.66), medium (1.66 – 2.33) and high (> 2.33).
The soil categorization as low, medium and high followed in Maharashtra state in case of micronutrients is depicted in Table 1.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

SOIL PROPERTIES 
Data pertaining to physic-chemical properties of soils in study area is depicted in Table 2. Investigated soils are neutral to alkaline in reaction with pH varied from 6.30 – 8.75 across the district. Neutral to alkaline pH may be attributed to the reaction of applied fertilizer material with soil colloids, which resulted in the retention of basic cations on the exchangeable complex of the soil. Maximum soil samples were found slightly to moderately alkaline in nature. The electrical conductivity (EC) gives an indication about salt concentration of the soil and it varied from 0.02 to 0.59 dS m-1 at 250C with an average value of 0.14 dS m-1. All the soils were non-saline in nature and suitable for healthy plant growth. The organic carbon content in soils ranged from 2.67 to 13.37 g kg-1. Calcium carbonate content in soils of the district varied from 1.75 to 17.75 per cent, High calcium carbonate is harmful; it reduces the concentration of micronutrient cations in soils to such a level that the sensitive plant suffers from deficiency of micronutrients (Deb et al., 2012).   
SULPHUR STATUS
The available sulphur varied from very low to very high (1.13 to 31.56 g kg-1) as presented in Table 3 and 4.  Majority of the are showed low in available sulphur (45.60 %).  Low amount of available sulphur at surface soil samples is mainly because of intensive cultivation of crops and application of fertilizers devoid of sulphur (Katkar et al., 2018). The application of balanced nutrition to the crops under intensive cultivation is essential for maintaining the soil fertility and sustainable productivity.
MICRONUTRIENTS STATUS
Data pertaining to micronutrient status and percent sample deficient of the study area is depicted in Table 3 and Table 4, respectively. DTPA-Zn of Solapur district as a whole, varied from 0.10 to 2.50 mg kg-1 indicating 76.55 per cent deficiency. The highest deficiency of zinc was observed in Madha taluka followed by North Solapur. Under alkaline soil condition (pH higher than 7.0) the micronutrient cations are changed largely to their oxides and hydroxides which ultimately reduced their availability (Deb et al., 2012). DTPA-Fe content showed slight variation (0.11 to 13.74 mg kg-1) in the soils of Solapur district. Considering 4.5 mg kg-1 as critical limit of available iron, the distribution of soil samples under deficient category was 95.44%. Increased removal of micronutrients as a consequence of adoption of high yielding varieties and intensive cropping together with a shift towards the use of high analysis NPK fertilizers which might have caused decline in the level of micronutrients in the soil below the critical level which are required for normal productivity of crops (Zende, 1987). The DTPA extractable Cu in the soils of ranged from 0.10 to 3.95 mg kg-1.  9.12 % soil samples in Solapur district were found deficient in Cu content. The DTPA-Mn status of soils ranged from 0.20 to 11.98 mg kg-1 with only 70.03 % deficiency. Available boron in soils of all the blocks ranged from 0.35 to 2.82 mg kg-1­­ with a mean value of 1.40 mg kg-1­­. The range of available boron in soils of different states of India varied from traces to 12.2 mg kg-1­­ (Das, 2007). Nearly all soil samples (99.35 %) are found sufficient in Boron.
NUTRIENT INDICES
Nureint index values (NIV) representing the available nutrients present in the soils was calculated utilizing the formula suggested by Parker et al.(1951) and classified as low (<1.67), medium (1.67-2.33) and high (>2.33).
NI = [(NLx1) + (NMx2) + (NHx3)] / NT
Where
NL, NM and NH are the number of soil samples falling in low, medium and high categories for nutrient status and are given weightage of 1, 2 and 3, respectively  NT is the total number of soil samples.