Comparative Assessment of Physical and Chemical Properties of Soil of Industrial and Non-industrial Area’s Farmers Field of Nalagarh Tehsil, District Solan, Himanchal Pradesh, India

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to assess the physical and chemical properties of industrial and non-industrial area’s soil of Solan District, Himanchal Pradesh" during 2023. The soil sample were collected from the industrial area of Nalagarh block of the Solan district viz., Guru Majra (Village1), Kundi (Village2), Theda (Village3), Krishanpura (Village4), Makhnu Majra (Village5) and non-industrial area of Nalagarh block in the Solan district viz., Gurukund (Village1), Ramshehar (Village2), Khanpur (Village3), Serri (Village4) and Dattowal (Village5) at 0-15 and 15-30 cm depth with the help of khurpi and following standard procedure. The analysis of physical the laboratory of Department of Soil Science, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj-211 007 (U.P.) and chemical properties of soil was carried out at Chemical Agriculture Directorate Sub-Divisonal Soil Cons. Office Solan, Himachal Pradesh. The physical parameters of soil were analyzed and the texture of soil was found Sandy Loam in both industrial and non-industrial area. The color of the soil sample of industrial area in a dry condition varied at different depths from dark greyish brown to yellowish brown and in wet conditions; it varied at different depths from very dark greyish brown to dark greyish brown. The color of the soil sample of non-industrial area in a dry condition varied at different depths from Dark greyish brown to yellowish brown and in wet condition; it varied at different depths from dark greyish brown to dark greyish brown. The bulk density of the industrial and non- industrial soils varied at 0-15 and 15-30 cm between 1.50 to 1.70 Mg m-3 and 1.79 to 1.68 Mg m-3 respectively, while the particle density ranged from 2.324 to 2.505 Mg m-3 and 2.487 to 2. 326 Mg m-3 respectively. The percentage of pore space of soils ranged from 27 to 40 % and 24.33 to 33.09 % respectively and water holding capacity ranged from 20.23 to 33.10 % and 17.32 to 26.29 % respectively in non-industrial respectively. Soil pH varied from 7.38 to 7.66 in industrial and 7.06 to 7.35 in non-industrial soil, which was neutral to slightly saline. Moreover, the electrical conductivity of industrial area and non-industrial area soil at different depth was recorded as 0.47-0.64 dS m-1 and 0.33-0.48 dS m-1 respectively. In the case of the organic carbon, Available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium 0.25-0.39%, 0.39-0.67% and 217.86-243.12, 243.19-265.27 kg ha-1 and 25.44-38.25, 33.61-48.36 kg ha-1 and 131.54-264.54, 258.43-287.59 kg ha-1 was recorded at different depth in industrial and non-industrial area soil respectively. The concentration levels of certain micronutrients and heavy metals were analyzed and the results indicate that the zinc concentration was found 17.08-27.22 and 24.44-33.43 mg kg-1 and iron was recorded as 51.19-73.43 mg kg-1 and 16.69-24.38 mg kg-1 and manganese was found 8.5-18.70 mg kg-1 and 9.17-19.68 mg kg-1 along with high cadmium 0.23-0.34 and 0.27-0.39 mg kg-1 and lead 8.67-12.55 and 7.1-11.9 mg kg-1 at different depth in industrial and non-industrial area respectively.