Effect of Different Multipurpose Tree Species on Physico-chemical Properties of Loamy Sand Soil Under Rainfed Conditions

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Agroforestry Research Station, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, during 2019-20. The soils of the experimental field was low in organic carbon (0.24 per cent), available nitrogen (143.50 kg N/ha) and DTPA extractable iron (3.18 mg/kg), medium in available phosphorus (Olsen’s P 48.90 kg P2O5/ha), available potash (180.00 kg K2O/ha), manganese (7.8 mg/kg) and zinc (0.79 mg/kg) and high in copper content (0.61 mg/kg). An experiment consisting of six years old Agroforestry tree plantation which consisted of five multipurpose tree species (MPTs) viz., Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Gmelina arborea, Casuriana equstifolia and Melia azadiracht were designed in CRD with four replications. The experiment consisting of 96 trees per species with a plot size of 24 m × 16 m under 4 m × 4 m tree spacing. Among the above six tree species significantly the lowest BD (1.56 Mg/m3), higher WHC (27.87 per cent) and soil porosity (38.03 per cent) was recorded under Casuarinas equisetifolia tree species. Similarly the maximum mean organic carbon (0.445 per cent), available N (165.17 kg/ha), available K2O (196.26 kg/ha) and DTPA extractable iron (4.22 mg/kg) and copper (1.05 mg/kg) content were noted under Casuarina equisetifolia tree species. Whereas, the mean maximum available P2O5 (57.92 kg/ha) was noted under Tectona grandis. The mean maximum DTPA extractable manganese (8.34 mg/kg) and zinc (0.925 mg/kg) was noted under Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Melia azadiracht tree species, respectively.