Assessment of Soil Fertility Status under the Barren Land Soil of the Central Plain Zone of Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Soil fertility evaluation of barren land is the most basic decision-making tool for an effective sustainable plan for a particular area. Thus, the present study was carried out to evaluate the soil fertility status in session variation of the two blocks of Kanpur Dehat (Akabrpur and Maitha). The soil samples were randomly collected based on the variability of land at a depth of 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, and 30-60 cm in 5-5 sites in the both blocks. A GPS device was used to identify the location of the soil sampling points. Soil samples were analyzed for texture, pH, OC, EC, N, P, K, S, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and exchangeable cations status following standard analytic methods in the laboratory of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, C.S.A. University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, UP. The soil organic carbon ranged from 0.18 to 0.34% of both blocks. Available nitrogen ranged from 102.78 to 138.39 kg ha-1, available phosphorous ranged from 9.89 to 16.47 kg ha-1 and available potassium ranged from 230.65 to 276.38 kg ha-1 in the surface soil of Maitha, all of which showed a decrease in value with increase in depth. Exchangeable calcium ranged from 4.58 to 6.34 (cmol (p+) kg-1), exchangeable magnesium ranged from 2.20 to 4.40 (cmol (p+) kg-1), and the pH of the soil in both blocks was highly alkaline in nature, all of which varied significantly with site and depth. The results indicated that soils are not good for the cultivation of various crops. Farmers are required to maintain Soil Health Card which helps them to adopt suitable management practices and provide proper nutrition to soil.