Physicochemical Analysis of Soils Samples from Shimla and Kinnaur
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International Journal of Chemical Studies 2019; 7(1): 41-46 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2019; 7(1): 41-46 Physicochemical analysis of soils samples from © 2019 IJCS Received: 27-11-2018 Shimla and Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh Accepted: 29-12-2018 Nirja Thakur Nirja Thakur, Rakesh Gupta, Anjali Chauhan, Manisha Thakur and RK PhD. Research Scholar, Dogra Department of Biotechnology, Dr Y S Parmar, UHF, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India Abstract The soil is the most important constituent for the purpose of fulfilment of all the basic needs of human Rakesh Gupta beings. Soil is also an important component of our farming. Since plants depend on the soils for their Dean, College of Horticulture, Dr nutrients, water and minerals supply, the soil type is a major factor in determining what types of plants Y S Parmar, UHF, Nauni, Solan, will grow in any area. Thus the physico-chemical analysis of soil is very important because both physical Himachal Pradesh, India and chemical properties which bear upon the soil productivity. The physico-chemical study of soil is based on various parameters like pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, available nitrogen, Anjali Chauhan Assistant Professor, Department phosphorus and potassium etc. In the present investigation, soil samples were collected from two districts of Soil Science & Water viz. Shimla and Kinnaur of Himachal Pradesh and the physicochemical study of soil is based on various Management, Dr Y S Parmar, parameters like total Organic Carbon, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), pH and electrical UHF, Nauni, Solan, Himachal conductivity. This study leads us to the conclusion of the nutrient’s quantity present in soil of some apple Pradesh, India orchard sites of District Shimla and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh). Results show that all the eight selected places of these two districts have medium or high minerals content. This information will help farmers to Manisha Thakur solve the problems related to soil nutrients, amount of which fertilizers to be used to increase the yield of Assistant Professor, Department crops. of Biotechnology, Dr Y S Parmar, UHF, Nauni, Solan, Keywords: Soil analysis, physiochemical properties, Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh, India RK Dogra Introduction Assistant Professor, Department Soil is a vital component and a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, of Fruit Science, Dr Y S Parmar, and organisms that together support life. The physicochemical study of parameters is UHF, Nauni, Solan, Himachal important to agricultural chemists for plants growth and soil management (Jaishree et al., 2008 Pradesh, India and Kanimozhi, 2011) [1, 2]. Two main apple producing districts viz. Shimla and Kinnaur of Himachal Pradesh were surveyed and selected for sample collections. From each district, further five sites from Shimla district (viz. Craignano, Kotkhai, Narkanda, Theog and Jubbal) and three sites from Kinnaur district (viz. Sangla, Kalpa and Reckong Peo,) were finally selected. From each selected site, three subsites (apple orchards) were further selected for the collection of the soil samples. The nature of soil primarily depend upon its continued change under the effect of physical factors like the parent material, time, the climate, the organic [3] activity in it etc. (Solanki and Chavda, 2012) . All agricultural productions and development of forest depends upon physico-chemical parameters of the soil used for it. The fertility of the soil depends on the concentration of N, P, K, organic and inorganic materials as well as on electrical conductivity. Nitrogen as a fertilizer is required for the growth of plant. Potassium is used for flowering purpose, it is also required for building of protein photosynthesis, fruit quality and reduction of diseases and phosphate is used for growth of roots in plants. Materials and Methods Three soil samples from each site were collected from topsoil of apple rhizoshpere ranging in depth from 10-15 cm in polythene bags with the help of sterilized spatula. Samples from each site were collected in triplicates and placed into sterilized polythene bags (Fig.1) which were packed in ice in an insulated box and were subsequently transferred at 4°C upon arrival to Correspondence laboratory. Total twenty four soil samples collected were subjected to physico-chemical Nirja Thakur analysis. PhD. Research Scholar, Department of Biotechnology, For analysis of physicochemical parameters of the soil samples, took 20 g of each soil sample Dr Y S Parmar, UHF, Nauni, in 50 ml beakers and added 40 ml distilled water to each flask, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India ~ 41 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies followed by stirring four times within a period of half an hour the method of Olsen et al., (1954) [7] and available potassium and kept for another half an hour for settlement of soil content by the method of Merwin and Peech (1951) [8]. particles and stirred again followed by settlement. The pH of the suspension was determined using pH meter (ESICO- Results and discussion 1010). Electrical conductivity of the soil was determined in Variability in pH was studied for all the 24 soil samples and it the filtrate of the water extract using Conductivity meter was found to range from a minimum of 5.50 (KS1 sample of (Jackson, 1973) [4]. % Organic carbon (OC) content was site Sangla) to a maximum of 7.32 (SK1 sample of Kotkhai) determined by adopting chromic acid wet digestion method as (Table-1, Fig.2). Maximum value of EC i.e. 0.37dsm-1 was standard procedure of Walkley and Black method (1934) [5] found in soil sample SJ2 from Jubbal site and minimum value using diphenylamine indicator, available nitrogen was of EC 0.20dsm-1 was found in soil sample SC1 from Craig estimated by Kjeldhal method of Subbiah and Asija (1956) [6]. nano site (Table-2 Fig.-3) Available phosphorus content in the soil was determined by Table 1: Variability in pH amongst 24 soil samples of apple orchards of Shimla and Kinnaur districts in H.P. pH Sites Si Sii Siii Craignano 6.70 7.10 7.22 Kotkhai 7.32 6.80 6.76 Narkanda 7.23 6.83 7.13 Theog 7.18 7.12 7.10 Jubbal 6.97 6.91 6.87 Sangla 5.50 5.91 5.82 Kalpa 6.54 6.50 6.59 Reckong Peo 6.34 6.23 6.50 Si, Sii & Siii: subsites Table 2: Variability in Electrical conductivity (EC) amongst 24 soil Table 4: Variability in Nitrogen amongst 24 soil samples of apple samples of apple orchards of Shimla and Kinnaur districts in H.P. orchards of Shimla and Kinnaur districts in H.P. Electrical conductivity (EC) (dsm-1) Nitrogen (N) (kg/ha) Sites Sites Si Sii Siii Si Sii Siii Craignano 0.20 0.22 0.28 Craignano 474 473 471 Kotkhai 0.30 0.31 0.29 Kotkhai 432 423 425 Narkanda 0.27 0.25 0.29 Narkanda 378 373 379 Theog 0.31 0.35 0.33 Theog 473 489 477 Jubbal 0.35 0.37 0.31 Jubbal 477 471 469 Sangla 0.22 0.29 0.27 Sangla 387 389 398 Kalpa 0.35 0.31 0.33 Kalpa 412 410 418 Reckong Peo 0.21 0.27 0.22 Reckong Peo 398 392 390 It has been observed that maximum organic carbon Variability in phosphorus content amongst 24 soil samples percentage value 1.19% was found in soil sample SK2 from has been presented in Table-5 (Fig.-6). It has been found that Kotkhai site and minimum organic carbon percentage value the minimum value of phosphorus content (13.6kg/ha) was 0.75% was found in soil sample KS3 from Sangla site (Table- recorded in samples KR1 of Reckong Peo site whereas 3, Fig.-4). maximum value of phosphorus content (24.6kg/ha) was observed in sample SK3 of Kotkhai site. Table 3: Variability in percentage organic carbon amongst 24 soil samples of apple orchards of Shimla and Kinnaur districts in H.P. Table 5: Variability in Phosphorus amongst 24 soil samples of apple orchards of Shimla and Kinnaur districts in H.P. Percentage Organic carbon (OC %) Sites Si Sii Siii Phosphorus (P) (kg/ha) Sites Craignano 1.04 1.02 1.09 Si Sii Siii Kotkhai 1.06 1.19 1.10 Craignano 21.2 23.0 23.7 Narkanda 0.86 0.80 0.78 Kotkhai 23.9 24.1 24.6 Theog 1.12 0.90 0.91 Narkanda 21.2 22.3 21.5 Jubbal 1.07 1.05 1.02 Theog 21.7 22.2 23.0 Sangla 0.84 0.78 0.75 Jubbal 23.7 23.9 24.0 Kalpa 1.14 1.11 1.09 Sangla 16.1 17.9 15.7 Reckong Peo 0.98 0.96 0.96 Kalpa 18.3 17.6 18.7 Reckong Peo 13.6 14.8 15.1 Variability in nitrogen content amongst 24 soil samples has been presented in Table-4 & Fig.-5. It has been found that the Variability in potassium content amongst 24 soil samples has minimum value of nitrogen content (373Kg/ha) was recorded been presented in Table 6 (Fig.-7). It has been found that the in SN2 sample of Narkanda whereas maximum value of minimum value of potassium content (267kg/ha) was recorded in nitrogen content (489Kg/ha) was observed in sample ST2 of KS3 sample of Sangla whereas maximum value of potassium Theog site. content (379kg/ha) was observed in sample SK2 of Kotkhai site. ~ 42 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies Table 6: Variability in Potassium amongst 24 soil samples of apple Statistical data analysis of physicochemical characters orchards of Shimla and Kinnaur districts in H.P. Variability analysis Potassium (K) (kg/ha) Coefficient of variability and other related parameters with Sites Si Sii Siii respect to various physico- chemical characters under study Craignano 354 358 360 for different sites in the two districts were further analyzed by Kotkhai 360 379 365 standard statistical methods.