Distribution of Macro Nutrients in Surface and Subsurface Soils under Saffron Growing Areas of Pulwama District of Jammu & Kashmir, India

Abstract

One hundred eighty (180) composite soil samples were collected from surface and subsurface layers from 18 saffron growing villages of Pulwama district to study the available primary and secondary nutrient status of the soils. None of the soil were found to be deficient in available nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphur. The soils were medium in available nitrogen and phosphorous and medium to high in potassium with mean values of 338.46, 21.25 and 258.83 kg ha-1 respectively in surface soils (0-15 cm) and mean values of 318.07, 18.82 and 232.03 kg ha-1 respectively in sub-surface soils (15-30 cm). All the soils were high in available calcium and magnesium with average values of 1677.1, 317.7 mg kg-1 and 1692.5 and 352.3 mg kg-1 in surface and subsurface soils respectively. The soils were low to medium in available sulphur content with surface and subsurface sulphur content of 10.51 and 8.70 mg kg-1 respectively.