Vol. 5, Issue 5 (2017)
Soil health and nutrient Budgeting as influenced by different cropping sequences in an Vertisol of Tamil Nadu
Author(s): K Sathiya Bama, E Somasundaram, SD Sivakumar and KR Latha
Abstract: To study nutrient status and nutrient balances, soil carbon pools, physico chemical characteristics as influenced by different cropping sequences, soil samples were analysed in the three year old experiment during 2014-15 in the Eastern block area of TNAU, Tamil nadu. The different cropping sequence includes, viz., CS I-maize-cowpea (G)-radish (0.20 ha), CSII -bhendi-maize + cowpea-sunflower (0.20 ha), CS III: chillies-maize- sunhemp (0.20 ha), CS IV : cowpea (v)-cotton-sunflower (0.20 ha). The soil sample results on carbon pool shows that, high value of water soluble carbon was observed with CS IV(147 mg/kg). Walkley and Black method of estimating carbon (WBC) is equivalent to Total organic carbon (TOC). More TOC was measured in CSII (7895 mg/kg) i.e. Bhendi-Maize+cowpea-sunflower cropping sequence. CSIV registered high active carbon of 656 mg/kg. The higher value of passive carbon was recorded in CSII: bhendi-maize+cowpes-sunflower. Higher available N content was recorded CS I (263 kg/ha). Higher available P content of 21.2 kg/ha recorded in the CSII and available K in CS III (795 kg/ha) was recorded. Soil biological parameters like bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes population and dehydrogenase activity were better expressed in CS II (62 cfu x 10-6 g/soil, 29 cfu x 10-4 g/soil and 15 cfu x 10-3 g/soil) and 118.5 mg TPF/kg/24 hrs respectively than the other cropping sequences. The higher maximum water holding capacity of 51.4% and porosity (48.3%) was recorded in the CSII. Regarding the nutrient removal, CS IV recorded higher N uptake of 109.2 kg and higher P uptake of 31.7 kg and CSIII recorded higher K uptake (82.5 kg).But in the case of nutrient balance studies, between expected and actual N status is positive in CS II. In the P nutrient balance, expected and actual P status difference is negative in all the cropping pattern i.e the applied P excess is fixed in the soil. The balance between expected and actual K status is positive in all the cropping system.
Pages: 486-491 | 888 Views 70 Downloads
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How to cite this article:
K Sathiya Bama, E Somasundaram, SD Sivakumar, KR Latha. Soil health and nutrient Budgeting as influenced by different cropping sequences in an Vertisol of Tamil Nadu. Int J Chem Stud 2017;5(5):486-491.
