Characterization of Predominant Rice Growing Soils in Vadipatti Block Of

Trends132 in Biosciences 10(1), Print : ISSN 0974-8431,Trends 132-137, in Biosciences 2017 10 (1), 2017

Characterization of Predominant Rice Growing Soils in Vadipatti Block of Madurai District into Low and High P Availability Soils to Study the Phosphorus Release Pattern C. JEMILA*, BAKIYATHU SALIHA B** AND UDAYA KUMAR S*** Dept. of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Tamil Nadu email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT P fixation tends to be more pronounced in clays if they are predominant with CaO and CaCO . However organic A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted during 3 manures and biofertilisers play an important role in 2013-14 in the post graduate research laboratory of the Department of Soils and Environment at Agricultural improving the productivity of soils. College and Research Institute, Madurai to characterize It is also estimated that crop can often utilise only the predominant rice growing soils of Vadipatti block of one quarter to one third of applied fertiliser P during the Madurai district into low and high P availability and to first growing season and the next remain in soil as the study the phosphorus release pattern. The treatments were equilibrium solution P concentration seldom exceeds 0.1 imposed based on the fertiliser recommendation viz., micro gram (Tandon, 1987). It is important to utilise and -1 recycle native P for plant nutrition both to reduce the cost 150:50:50 Kg N, P2O5, K2O ha , Mussoorie rock phosphate @ 224 kg ha-1, farm yard manure @ 12.5 tonnes of production and sustain the mineral reserves for longer ha-1 and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (Lignite based period. Management of soil P in intensive irrigated rice has phosphate solubilizing bacterium, Bacillus megaterium rather received less attention than intensive cropping var. Phosphaticum PSB-1) @ 2 kg ha-1 in a Completely intensity and new cultivars, irrigation and fertiliser N Randomized Design (CRD). Among the treatments imposed, (Dobermann et al., 2003). In early years crop response to Single super phosphate and farm yard manure incubated fertiliser P were marginal (De Datta and Mikelsen, 1985). soils registered the maximum release of Olsen - P of 163.3 With continuous intensive cropping, P became the first and 184.3 mg kg-1in soils of low and high available P status, deficient nutrient as revealed in long term experiments. respectively. A significant improvement in available P Various biological and biochemical approaches have been status was also noticed with inoculation of P solubilizing tried past but ended up with limited success only. Moreover, bacteria with Mussoorie Rock Phosphate (123.1 and 138.6 the availability and uptake of phosphorus is generally mg kg-1) in soils of low and high available P status. influenced by soil properties and degree of soluble forms of phosphorus. Keywords Farm yard manure; High Phosphorus; Low As a preliminary assessment and to know the phosphorus; Mussoorie rock phosphate; distribution and release pattern of inorganic phosphorus Single super phosphate. in the soil a survey was taken up and the soils were categorized into low and high p available soils. An Phosphorus is one of the major essential macro incubation experiment was carried out in soils of low and nutrients limiting plant growth owing to its low high available phosphorus to know the status of the nutrient bioavailability in soils (Gyaneshwar et al., 2002; Feng et released at different intervals. In particular, more information al., 2004). Development of important cultivars and adoption on the rate and amount of desorption of inorganic P from of intensive cultivation in the last few decades has led to different soils, would be useful in adopting the suitable P several fold increase in the demand for nutrient P. India is management practices under different soil-crop- still not self reliant in meeting the P demand of high yielding environment situations. With this background in view, the varieties and imported about 2.875 MT of DAP during the P release pattern of the major rice growing soils in Madurai year 2006 - 2007. On the other side, parts of South India district were assessed through laboratory incubation study. continue to register high status of available phosphorus in MATERIALS AND METHODS major rice growing soils (Witt et al., 2009) highlighting the Incubation experiment was conducted in the post need for economic and efficient management of P. Thus graduate research laboratory of the Department of Soils research priorities have to be directed towards finding either and Environment at Agricultural College and Research alternate P sources for crop production after assessing the Institute, Madurai for a duration of 60 days from 01.08.2013 availability status of P or making the native phosphorus in to 29.09.2013.Vadipatti block comprises an area of about soil and applied phosphorus through fertiliser sources 48,239 hectares including 26 villages where rice is grown as available to the uptake of rice crop at right time. a predominant crop. Representative surface (0 -15) soil Phosphorus availability from soil is considered as a samples from these 26 villages of Vadipatti block were major constraint for crop production particularly in collected, processed and analysed for the status of P calcareous soils (Dange et al., 2008). These soils have availability. Based on the analytical results, these soils were extremely high capacity to precipitate phosphorus and thus categorized into low (<11 kg ha-1) and high (>22 kg ha-1) its deficiency becomes wide spread inspite of high total status of P availability. Details of the location of collection phosphorus content in soil making it unavailable to plants. JEMILA et al., Characterization of Predominant Rice Growing Soils in Vadipatti Block of Madurai District 133

Table 1. Details of predominant rice growing villages Table 2. Details of location of soils of low and high P of Vadipatti block of Madurai district availability chosen to conduct incubation 1. Aandipatti 14. Kuruvithurai experiment 2. Bodhinayackanpatti 15. Mannadimangalm S.No Low P available High P available 3. Cheminipatti 16. Manickampatti regions regions 1. Viralipatti Kattakulam 4. Chinnamanayackanpatti 17. Naachikulam 2. Karupatti Nachikulam 5. Chitthalankudi 18. Nedungulam, 3. Manickampatti Kattakulam West 4. Kacchakatti Sukkampatti 6. C.Pudhur 19. Poochampatti 5. Irumbadi South Irumbadi 7. Irumbadi 20. Ramayanpatti 8. Kacchakatti 21. Sukkampatti @ 12.5 tonnes ha-1 and phosphate solubilizing bacteria 9. Kaadupatti 22. Thatthampatti (Lignite based phosphate solubilizing bacterium, Bacillus megateriumvar.Phosphaticum PSB-1) @ 2 kg ha-1 in a 10. Kattakulam 23. Thiruvedagam Completely Randomized Design (CRD) replicated thrice with

11. Karupatti 24. Thumbichampatti the treatment details are furnished below. T1 : Complex 12. Kulasekarankottai 25. T.V.Nallur fertiliser source (20:20:0); T2 : Complex fertiliser source (20:20:0) + Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria; T : Mussoorie 13. Kutladampatti 26. Viralipatti 3 rock phosphate + Phosphorus solubilizing bacteria; T4 : Farm yard manure + Straight fertiliser source (Single super and categorization of soil samples for conducting the phosphate); T5 : Straight fertiliser source (Single super laboratory incubation study are furnished in Tables 1 and phosphate); T : Control (No fertiliser). 2. 6 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The soil samples collected from the above location were processed and used for laboratory incubation studies. Characterization of soil samples for laboratory The samples were air dried, powdered and sieved through incubation study 2.0 mm sieve for the analysis of basic parameters like pH, Soil samples from rice growing tracts in the Vadipatti electrical conductivity and available nitrogen was analyzed block of Madurai district were collected and analysed for by alkaline permanganate method (Subbaiah and available P content and categorized into low and high P Asija, 1956), available phosphorus by Olsen et al. (1954) available status. Five samples each from both the category method and available potassium by ammonium acetate of soils were selected and analysed for various physical method (Hanway and Heidal, 1952). For estimating organic and chemical properties. Soil samples drawn at nine carbon the samples were sieved through 0.5 mm sieve incubation periods (1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56 and 63 separately by adopting standard procedures. days) were analysed for Olsen’s available P. The Laboratory incubation study to evaluate the P release characterization of each of the low and high available P pattern: Two sets of low and high available phosphorus soils are summarized below. soils were maintained for the incubation study over a period Characterisation of soils for incubation study (Low of 60 days. Two hundred grams of soil was used for each status of P availability) experimental unit and the incubation was carried out in 500 ml plastic storage containers. Each treatment combination Soil samples collected from the villages of Viralipatti, was incubated maintaining the maximum moisture content Karupatti, Manickampatti, Kacchakatti and Irumbadi of at field capacity (21 % gravimetrically) under laboratory Vadipatti block, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu were analysed conditions. Soil samples were drawn at weekly intervals for various properties and were categorized as low available and analysed for Olsen-available P. phosphorus region with the available P status ranging below -1 -1 The treatments were imposed based on the fertiliser 11 kgha (9.01 to 10.8 kg ha ) (Table 3). -1 About 90 per cent of the soils representing the low recommendation viz., 150:50:50 Kg N, P2O5, K2O ha , Mussoorie rock phosphate @ 224 kg ha-1, farm yard manure available P status predominantly comes under Palaviduthy

Table 3. Characterization of predominant rice growing soils in Vadipatti block of Madurai district (Low status of P availability)

Name of the S. villages/ sites of EC CaCO3 OC Available N Available P Available K pH No. soil sample (dSm-1) (%) (%) (kg ha -1) (kg ha -1) (kg ha -1) collection 1 Viralipatti 8.01 0.22 9.75 0.60 282 10.50 297 2 Karupatti 8.79 0.20 10.00 0.57 326 9.01 310 3 Manickampatti 8.06 0.27 8.50 0.76 314 10.60 289 4 Kacchakatti 8.76 0.24 9.00 0.48 304 10.80 315 5 Irumbadi 8.18 0.25 13.25 0.86 245 9.20 212

134 Trends in Biosciences 10 (1), 2017

Table 4. Characterization of predominant rice growing soils in Vadipatti block of Madurai district (High status of P availability) Name of the villages/ S. EC CaCO3 OC Available N Available P Available K sites of soil sample pH No. -1 -1 -1 -1 collection (dSm ) (%) (%) (kg ha ) (kg ha ) (kg ha ) 1 Kattakulam 7.40 0.30 2.00 0.54 310 56 273 2 Nachikulam 7.45 0.22 2.70 0.66 285 34 317 3 Kattakulam West 7.02 0.46 1.50 0.80 279 45 295 4 Sukkampatti 8.10 0.28 1.75 0.42 289 50 255 5 South Irumbadi 7.10 0.25 1.25 0.31 285 76 371 series, a member of fine loamy mixed isohyperthermic family (8.0 to 8.8) and non-saline in nature (0.20 to 0.27 dS m-1). of Typic Haplustalfas per the soil taxonomy (USDA, 1988). The soils were low to high in organic carbon (0.48 to 0.86%) The analytical results of these representative soil samples content and high in calcium carbonate content (8.5 to were generally neutral to slightly alkaline in soil reaction 13.25%). As the CaCO3 concentration in these representative

Table 5. Availability of Phosphorus (mg kg -1) during the incubation period in soils of low available P

Sample Trt Incubation period (in week) Mean SED CD 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th (0.05) 1 56.70 56.70 20.00 20.00 16.70 16.70 20.00 20.00 20.00 S

0.27 0.54 2 60.00 30.00 30.00 26.60 24.00 23.30 23.30 20.00 20.00 S1 S1 3 63.30 66.70 66.70 60.00 63.30 63.30 63.30 60.00 60.00 77.97 P 4 183.00 176.00 176.00 183.00 186.00 186.00 183.00 183.00 180.00 0.36 0.73 5 146.00 150.00 153.00 150.00 150.00 143.00 143.00 140.00 140.00 T 6 16.70 20.00 20.00 26.70 26.70 20.00 26.70 13.30 13.30 0.31 0.59 1 63.30 80.00 83.30 43.30 40.00 40.00 36.60 30.00 30.00 ST 2 60.00 30.00 23.30 23.30 30.00 30.00 26.60 26.70 26.70 0.83 1.62

3 96.70 90.00 60.00 60.00 53.30 53.30 56.70 56.70 56.70 S2 TP S2 4 170.00 160.00 170.00 176.00 176.00 180.00 180.00 176.00 176.00 78.82 0.90 1.78 5 120.00 133.00 136.00 140.00 133.00 140.00 140.00 140.00 140.00 SP 6 36.70 23.30 16.70 16.70 13.30 16.70 16.70 10.00 10.00 0.61 1.32 1 55.30 46.00 80.00 36.60 36.70 36.70 33.30 40.00 40.00 SPT S3 2.02 3.97 2 36.70 20.00 20.00 23.30 23.30 16.70 16.70 13.30 13.30 74.34

3 106.00 113.00 50.00 93.30 66.70 60.00 53.30 60.00 60.00 S3 4 170.00 163.00 163.00 163.00 163.00 160.00 163.00 163.00 163.00 5 120.00 123.00 116.00 130.00 130.00 123.00 123.00 123.00 123.00 6 20.00 20.00 16.70 16.70 26.70 23.30 20.00 16.70 16.70 1 60.00 63.00 36.70 30.00 26.60 26.70 23.30 20.00 20.00

2 46.70 30.00 20.00 16.70 23.30 16.70 16.70 16.70 16.70 S4

3 110.00 100.00 66.70 106.00 106.00 100.00 96.70 96.70 96.70 77.15 S4 4 156.00 150.00 150.00 160.00 160.00 153.00 146.00 146.00 146.00 5 140.00 136.00 140.00 143.00 143.00 143.00 143.00 143.00 143.00 6 10.00 13.30 20.00 20.00 16.70 16.70 13.30 10.00 10.00 1 56.60 66.00 23.30 10.00 13.30 13.30 10.00 10.00 10.00 S5

2 32.60 32.60 23.30 23.30 30.00 33.30 33.30 26.70 26.70 67.14

3 120.00 120.00 120.00 113.00 113.00 123.00 123.00 120.00 120.00 S5 4 150.00 140.00 140.00 153.00 153.00 143.00 140.00 140.00 140.00 5 96.70 100.00 53.30 56.70 56.70 60.00 56.70 66.60 66.70 6 26.00 25.70 20.00 20.00 13.30 20.00 20.00 10.00 10.00 Mean 86.24 82.66 73.88 74.77 73.90 72.77 71.65 70.00 69.89 Grand mean 75.08

Treatmental mean T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 35.20 27.01 83.70 163.3 123.10 18.11

JEMILA et al., Characterization of Predominant Rice Growing Soils in Vadipatti Block of Madurai District 135

Table 6. Availability of Phosphorus (mg kg -1) during the incubation period in soils of high available P

Sample Trt Incubation period (in week) Mean SED CD 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th (0.05) S1 1 63.30 40.00 40.00 30.00 30.00 33.30 33.30 33.30 33.30 S 1.77 2 56.70 26.70 26.70 20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 13.30 13.30 0.90

3 73.30 70.00 43.30 50.00 50.00 53.30 53.30 60.00 63.30 P 2.38 S1 4 193.00 190.00 200.00 200.00 193.00 193.00 193.00 190.00 190.00 1.21 83.50 5 173.00 170.00 170.00 173.00 173.00 167.00 167.00 160.00 157.00 T 1.93 6 13.30 20.00 23.30 30.00 23.30 23.00 16.60 20.00 20.00 0.98 S2 1 90.00 56.00 43.30 60.00 66.70 66.70 63.30 63.30 60.00 ST 4.34 2 43.30 33.30 30.00 46.70 40.00 36.70 30.00 33.30 33.30 2.21 3 136.00 93.30 63.30 73.30 73.30 70.00 66.70 50.00 60.0 TP 5.82 S2 4 183.00 190.00 193.00 193.00 183.00 183.00 180.00 180.00 180.00 2.96 88.50 5 153.00 150.00 150.00 153.00 153.00 153.00 153.00 150.00 150.00 SP 5.31 6 30.00 30.00 23.30 16.70 16.70 16.70 10.00 10.00 10.00 2.70 S3 1 76.60 80.00 80.00 56.70 56.70 42.00 42.00 30.00 30.00 SPT 13.01 2 56.70 50.00 50.00 53.30 53.30 46.70 40.00 33.30 33.30 6.62 3 110.00 120.00 73.30 106.00 106.00 100.00 100.00 93.30 100.00 S3 4 176.00 190.00 193.00 186.00 186.00 186.00 186.00 186.00 186.00 91.30 5 136.00 140.00 143.00 140.00 140.00 136.00 136.00 133.00 133.00 6 20.00 16.60 20.00 26.70 30.00 23.30 20.00 16.60 16.70 S4 1 43.30 46.00 56.60 33.30 30.00 30.00 30.00 26.70 26.70 2 46.70 26.70 30.00 20.00 20.00 16.70 23.30 16.70 16.70 3 83.30 93.30 60.00 76.70 76.70 76.70 80.00 83.30 83.30 4 173.00 183.00 186.00 183.00 183.00 183.00 183.00 183.00 183.00 S4 5 163.00 170.00 170.00 170.00 170.00 173.00 173.00 160.00 160.00 84.40 6 13.30 16.00 23.30 26.70 23.30 20.00 20.00 13.30 13.30 S5 1 70.00 50.00 13.30 43.30 40.00 40.00 40.00 33.30 13.30 2 43.30 43.30 40.00 40.00 40.00 36.70 36.70 33.30 33.30 S5 3 123.00 123.00 133.00 140.00 140.00 140.00 140.00 130.00 133.00 79.80 4 183.00 186.00 186.00 180.00 180.00 177.00 177.00 177.00 177.00

5 86.70 93.30 93.30 60.00 60.00 60.00 56.70 53.70 50.00 6 30.00 30.00 26.70 20.00 20.00 20.00 13.30 10.00 10.00 Mean 94.87 90.44 86.20 86.99 85.99 84.17 82.84 79.22 78.99 Grand mean 85.56

Treatmental mean T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 45.90 35.63 89.12 184.30 138.60 19.51 soils were high, precipitation could be predominant over Characterisation of soils for incubation study (High the adsorption process as the formation of less soluble status of P availability) complexes with weak acid anions like orthophosphate The soil samples representing the predominant rice strongly holds P and consequently maintains low P growing tracts of Kattakulam, Nachikulam, Sukkampatti and concentration in soil solution (Asif Naeem et al., 2013). South Irumbadi villages of Vadipatti block of Madurai Other macro nutrients like available nitrogen and potassium district of Tamil Nadu with high available status of ranged between 245 to 326 kg ha-1 and 212 to 315 kg ha-1 phosphorus ranging above22 kgha-1 (Table 4) were chosen respectively. Soil nutrient status depicts medium available for incubation study. About 60 per cent of the soils nitrogen, low available phosphorus content and high representing the high available P status predominantly available potassium. comes under Anaiyur series, a member of fine 136 Trends in Biosciences 10 (1), 2017 montmorillionitic isohyperthermic family of Typic Haplustert of available P content of 163.3 and 184.3 mg kg-1in soils of as per the soil taxonomy (USDA, 1988). The analytical results low and high available P status, respectively. The P were generally neutral to slightly alkaline in reaction (7.02 supplying power of the soils was found to be higher in to 8.10) and non saline in nature (0.22 to 0.46 dS m-1). These soils of high availability compared to the soils of low soils were medium to high in organic carbon (0.3 – 0.8%) availability. An increase of available P in the first few weeks status and low in calcium carbonate content (1.25 to 2.70%). and a gradual decrease during later weeks were reported in

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is the dominant soil constituent almost all the treatments during the course of incubation limiting P availability to plants by adsorption and which could be attributed to the physicochemical precipitation reactions. The low calcium carbonate content mobilization of P into soluble forms. A significant enhanced the availability of P since it favoured the P improvement in available P status was also noticed with adsorption as already been reported by Chaudhry et al. inoculation of PSB with Mussoorie Rock Phosphate (MRP) (2003). Other macro nutrients like available nitrogen and (123.1 and 138.6 mg kg-1) in soils of low and high available P potassium ranged between 279 to 310 kg ha-1 and 255 to 371 status, the observation of which was in accordance with kg ha-1 respectively. Soil nutrient status depicts medium those of Tarafdar et al. (2008). This might be attributed to available nitrogen status, high available phosphorus and the capability of phosphate solubilising bacteria (PSB) to potassium. convert unavailable apatite P to available forms as reported Availability of phosphorus (mg kg-1) in soils of low and by Sharma et al. (2003). high available P during the incubation period CONCLUSION The average mean available P content of the soils It is concluded that, among the treatments imposed, with low available P status in the Vadipatti block was found SSP and FYM incubated soils registered, the maximum to be 75.08 mg kg-1 (Table 5). The availability of P was release of Olsen - P of 163.3 and 184.3 mg kg-1in soils of low maximum (163.3 mg kg-1) in the soils incubated with single and high available P status, respectively. A significant super phosphate (SSP) and farm yard manure (T4) followed improvement in available P status was also noticed with by T5 (SSP alone) which registered a mean available P inoculation of P solubilizing bacteria with Mussoorie Rock content of 123.10 mg kg-1 P during the incubation period. Phosphate (123.1 and 138.6 mg kg-1) in soils of low and high

The untreated control (T6) registered the minimum P content available P status. of 18.11 mg kg-1. The mean available P content was 86.24 mg ACKNOWLEDGEMENT kg-1 during the first week of incubation period which gradually reduced to 69.89 mg kg-1at the end of the ninth M/s Rhastriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited, week of incubation period. Mumbai and Department of Soils and Environment, The average mean available P content in the soils of Agricultural College and research Institute, Madurai, Tamil high available P status of Vadipatti block was found to be Nadu. 85.56 mg kg-1(Table 6).The availability of P was maximum LITERATURE CITED -1 (184.3 mg kg ) in the soils incubated with single super Asif Naeem, Muhammad Akhtar and Waqar Ahmad. 2013. Optimizing phosphate (SSP) and farm yard manure T4 followed by T5 Available Phosphorus in Calcareous Soils Fertilized with (SSP alone) which registered a mean available P content of Diammonium Phosphate and Phosphoric Acid Using Freundlich 138.6 mg kg-1 P during the incubation period. The untreated Adsorption Isotherm. The Scientific World Journal., 201:1-5. - control T6 registered the minimum P content of 19.51 mg kg Begum, M., G., Narayanasamy and D.R. Biswas. 2004. Phosphorus 1. The mean available P content was 94.87 mg kg-1 during supplying capacity of phosphate rocks as influenced by the first week of incubation period and that was gradually compaction with water soluble P fertilizers. Nutrient Cycling in decreased to 78.99 mg kg-1 at the ninth week of incubation Agro ecosystems., pp. 73-84. period. Chaudry, E.H., A.M. Ranjha, M.A. Gill and S.M. Mehdi. 2003. It is quite apparent from Tables 5 and 6, that the P Phosphorus requirement of maize in relation to soil characteristics. Intl. J. Agric. Biol., 5: 625-629. release pattern of soils treated with P fertilisers were significantly higher than the untreated control soils and Dange, S.S., C. Pushpalata, Bhosale, S.Dipti, Waghdhare and S.R.Patil. 2008. In vivo effects of phosphorus sources with and without continued to decrease gradually during the course of FYM and biofertilizers on availability of phosphorus in calcareous incubation period (1 - 60 days). The decrease was from a black soil. 3(1): 79. mean available P content of 86.2 and 94.8 mg kg-1 in the first De Datta, S.K. and D.S. Mikkelson.1985. Potassium nutrition of -1 week of incubation period to 69.89 and 78.99 mg kg in the rice. In: Potassium in Agriculture (Eds.) Munson, R.D., Summer ninth week of incubation period in the soils of lowand high M.E. and Bishop, W.D., Madison, pp 665-699. available P status, respectively. This was observed to be a Dobermann, A., C. Witt, S. Abdulrachman, H.C. Gines, R. Nagarajan, common behavior of P under most situations as already T.T. Son, P.S. Tan, G.H. Wang, N.V. Chien, V.T.K. Thoa, C.V. been reported by Begum et al. (2004) and Sharma et al. Phung, P. Stalin, P. Muthukrishnan, V. Ravi, M. Babu, G.C. (2003). The subsequent decrease of available P at later Simbahan, M.A. Adviento, V. Bartolome. 2003. Agron.J., 95: stages of incubation might be due to readsorption or 924-935. fixation of P. Fertiliser P tends to be fixed soon after Feng, K., H.M. Lu, H.J. Sheng, X.L. Wang and J. Mao. 2004. Effect application and becomes mostly unavailable, resulting in of organic ligands on biological availability of inorganic low recovery and a considerable P accumulation in soils phosphorus in soils. Pedosphere., 14: 85- 92. (Richardson, 1994). Among the treatments imposed, SSP Gyaneshwar, P., G.Naresh Kumar, L.J. Parekh, and P.S. Poole. 2002. and FYM incubated soils registered the maximum release Role of soil microorganisms in improving P nutrition of plants. JEMILA et al., Characterization of Predominant Rice Growing Soils in Vadipatti Block of Madurai District 137

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Received on 20-12-2016 Accepted on 25-12-2016