Role of Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Ph in the Suitability Prognosis of Agricultural Practices in Noyyal River Basin
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DOI : 10.15613/sijrs/2015/v2i1/80079 ISSN (Print): 2349–8919 ScieXplore: International Journal of Research in Science, Vol 2(1), 6–12, January–June 2015 ISSN (Online): 2350–0999 Role of Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) and pH in the Suitability Prognosis of Agricultural Practices in Noyyal River Basin L. Usha1* and Haresh M. Pandya2 1Associate Professor & Head, Department of Physics, Vellalar College for Women (Autonomous), Erode – 638 012, India; [email protected] 2Associate Professor & Head, Department of Physics, Chikkanna Government Arts College, Tiruppur, India; [email protected] Abstract Impact of EC and pH of soil water on agricultural practices in Noyyal River Basin is reported. Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) mapping is proposed as an inexpensive cum precision tool for farmers to adopt and characterize soil within their farm and pH is elaborately studied to understand parameters like yield maps and yield variation. fields in addition to the pH profile of the soil. Its relationship to crop yield, salt concentrations and water-holding capacity Keywords: Mapping - Noyyal River Basin - Soil EC, pH 1. Introduction liable subject in the Noyyal basin, Tamilnadu. The basin was agricultural area earlier, irrigated through intricate The development of water resources in South Asian region networks of diversion weirs, tanks and canals [7]. for more than five decades, played a key role in stabilizing The Noyyal River is a branch of the Cauvery. It is an the production of agriculture and the reduction of scarcity interstate river traversing through the States of Karnataka [6]. This base, nevertheless, is in jeopardy to a large extent and Tamilnadu and minimal time required for flows by increased competitions over restricted supplies and by into the Bay of Bengal. It streams through the districts the depletion/pollution of existing sources. of Coimbatore, Erode and Karur (and currently formed About 80-90 percent of freshwater resources is drawn Tirupur District) and the urban centres of Coimbatore and by agriculture sector in India [2], [3], [5], [12]. Water Tirupur. Industrial units like textile, chemicals and electro- quality forms a key environmental issue facing the agri- plating units situated in the river basin discharge effluents cultural practices in the present day. Ensuring appropriate indiscriminately, treated or untreated, into the river. Sewage quantity and quality of water for agriculture is, therefore, from Coimbatore and Tirupur cities is also discharged in crucial for both food security and food safety. several places into the river without treatment, creating the While discharging effluent, the industries should river as one of the highly polluted rivers in the country. consider the assimilative capacity of the land, failing The Noyyal is a seasonal river. The river has fine which leads to pollution load and consequently pollutes flow during the North-East and South-West monsoons. groundwater and the soil [1], [10], [11]. When there is heavy rain in the region, occasional floods Pollution, groundwater overdraft and rising happen. The flow of the river is scanty almost throughout competition over inadequate supplies make water a the year. *Author for correspondence L. Usha and Haresh M. Pandya The Noyyal river basin has a total area of 3510 km3. Erode District) and Aravankurchi Taluk and Karur Taluk (Location: between north latitude 10 56’ and 11 19’ and of Karur District has been taken up and the two most east longitude 76 41’ and 77 56’). Noyyal River flows to a important parameters EC and pH of the soil samples col- distance of about 170 km. The basin has an average width lected at different locations on the River course have been of 25 km. The entire Noyyal basin is located in Tamilnadu, addressed to derive the probable relation to the fertility encompassing parts of Coimbatore, Erode (including factor of the soil and the impact of agricultural practice recently formed Tirupur District as well) and Karur dis- in the study area. tricts. The Noyyal confluences with the Cauvery River at Noyyal village. 2.1 Sampling Locations Several factors contributing to the decrease of The locations were selected for sample collection based agricultural production have been worked out. The pres- on pilot surveys in Perundurai Taluk, and Erode Taluk of ent paper addresses the critical role of soil Electrical Erode District, Kangayam Taluk of Tirupur District, and Conductivity (EC) and pH. They are mostly concerned Aravakurichi Taluk and Karur Taluk of Karur District. with the pollution stress of different kinds, indiscriminate Adopting grid patterns soil samples were collected with a use of fertilizers and pesticides. However, the outcome of distance of 5 km to 7 km on either side of the river course such studies is scant and the findings are piecemeal, making for EC and pH analyses. The Electrical Conductivity and impossible, developing a holistic picture. It is well estab- pH of the soils collected from different locations were lished that in addition to various chemical factors including found out using a Digital Conductivity Meter and Digital the pollutants, several physical parameters have their own pH Meter Changes, if any, in respect of pH were cross important roles in affecting the water and soil nature checked using the Portable Digital pH Meter at the time thereby, impacting grossly the agricultural production. of samples collections in situ. The ground water, surface water, soil and the natural ecosystem in Perundurai Taluk, Kangayam Taluk and 2.2 Measuring Electrical Conductivity (EC) Erode Taluk of Erode District and Aravankurchi Taluk and Karur Taluk of Karur District in Tamil Nadu, which form and pH with the Pour-Through the study area, have been subjected to pollution to a great Method [4] extent by the seepage and percolation of the pollutants of The Virginia Tech Extraction Method (VTEM) or the River Noyyal in the past few decades; the insignificant pour-through method was used. The VTEM method is effect of rainfall reduces the severity of the pollution. adopted in view of its advantages over other methods for The objectives are, assessing Electrical Conductivity (EC). The advantages are, ■ To explore the quality of soil of nearby farmlands ■ Sample extraction time is minimum in areas located so proximally to the banks of river ■ EC and pH analysis is carried out in the land itself Noyyal, in Erode, Tirupur and Karur Districts of ■ Involves no container medium Tamil Nadu ■ Does not require specialized instruments for sample ■ To understand the impacts of EC and pH of soil water extraction on agricultural practices ■ Chance of rupturing slow release fertilizer materials is ■ To document the ways and means currently chosen remote, thereby eliminating any false reading by the agriculturists to alleviate the difficulty of pollution 2.3 VTEM Pour-Through Procedure ■ To recommend solutions to counter the problems The container to be tested was placed on a PVC ring to posed with by EC and pH of soil water. keep the bottom of the container above the collection ves- sel. The collection vessel (8” dia saucer) was wide enough 2. Materials and Methods to collect all leachate. Distilled water was poured till the surface of the container medium (soil sample) so that The water quality in the Noyyal River Basin particularly approximately 50 to 60 ml of leachate could be collected in the Perundurai Taluk, and Erode Taluk, of Erode in the vessel. About 150 - 175ml of distilled water per five District, Kangayam Taluk of Tirupur District (erstwhile liter container was adequate for the whole media. Five Vol 2 (1) | January–June 2015 | ScieXplore: International Journal of Research in Science 7 Role of Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) and pH in the Suitability Prognosis of Agricultural Practices in Noyyal River Basin minutes were required time for leachate to drain from 3. Results and Discussions the container for collection. Uniform media Moisture content was ensured to be uniform. All samples were Variations were observed in Electrical Conductivity (EC) collected when the soil samples were with its maximum and pH in the different Sampling locations and during water-holding capacity (2 hours following irrigation). The different seasons of the year. The results are presented in collected soil water samples were subsequently analysed Table 1 and Figures 1 to 7 depicting a probable common for EC and pH. relationship between EC and pH among the different Sampling locations. WHO has specified the standard value for EC at 1500 2.4 Timing μS/cm (1.5 dS/m). EC of water is a direct function of its Soil samples were taken at regular intervals throughout the total dissolved salts and EC is therefore, to be considered period of study. Care was taken to ensure that sampling a key to denote the total concentration of soluble salts in occur at the same time in each area where samples are water in the study area. The electrical conductivity exhib- collected. ited variations in the study area depending on the location and the season of study, and in many places the values 2.5 Surface and Subsurface Samples exceed the WHO standard. The variation among the Sampling locations in any given season is notable. The rea- Two samples were collected; a surface soil sample from son may be ascribed to the indiscriminate discharge of the the 0 to 8 inch depth, and a subsoil sample from the 8 to chemicals and salts used in the industries and subsequent 24 inch depth. leaching and percolation of these salts in the soil. The studies revealed that EC values to fall in three 2.6 Representative Sample categories (EC > 3 injurious; EC between 1.1 and 3.0- Each soil sample was ensured to be a composite consisting of critical; EC < 1 normal). Of the three categories most of the soil from core samples taken randomly at several places the EC values fall in two categories, injurious and criti- in the vicinity.