Soil Fertility Status and Its Relation with Soil Physico-chemical Properties in Samastipur District of Bihar, India
Jawed Akhtar
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
Subhajit Dutta
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
Banhisikha Ray
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
Animesh Chowdhury
Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
Babu Lal Raigar
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
Md. Nisab C.P
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
Umalaxmi Thingujam
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
Manik Chandra Kundu
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
Suchhanda Mondal *
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agriculture, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, Bolpur, 731236, WB, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study was conducted in the department. of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati University, Sriniketan, West Bengal, India. One hundred surface soil samples (0–15cm) were collected from 10 villages of 5 different blocks of Samastipur district of Bihar. The samples were shade dried for 10-12 days, processed and sieved through 2 mm sieve Soil Physico-chemical properties (pH, EC, OC) were analyzed. Similarly, macronutrients (N, P, and K) as well as micronutrients (Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, and B) were also analyzed by adopting standard procedures. The textural class varied from sandy loam to loam, whereas the pH was in the alkaline range, EC was in the medium range, and OC was present under all ranges. N was found to be deficient in samples, and this may be due to extensive leaching as well as volatilization loss, whereas P and K were in the medium to higher range. All micronutrients except Mn content were in the medium to a higher range. Available N, P, K, Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn contents were negatively correlated with soil pH and sand contents and positively correlated with EC, organic carbon and clay contents. In contrast, available boron content was positively correlated with soil pH and organic carbon content and negatively correlated with EC, sand and clay contents.
Keywords: Samastipur, macronutrient, micronutrient, physico-chemical properties