Study of
Physicochemical Characteristics of Agricultural Soils of
Tuticorin District, Tamil Nadu, India
P. Jenifer1*, A. Selvin Samuel2
1UGC
Project Fellow, Department of Botany, Aditanar
College of Arts and Science, Virapandianpatnam, Tiruchendur - 628 216, Tamil Nadu, India.
2Associate Professor and
Head, Department of Botany, St. Johns College, Palayamkottai,
Tirunelveli,
Tamil Nadu, India.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: jeni.botany@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
The present study was made on physicochemical characteristics of
agricultural soil samples at various stations of Tuticorin
district were analyzed. Physicochemical parameters like pH, Electrical conductivity
(EC), Organic carbon (OC), Organic matter (OM), available Nitrogen (N2),
Phosphorus (P), Sodium (Na), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and Calcium carbonate
(CaCO3) were analyzed under laboratory conditions. Among these, pH (6.55 to
7.25), EC (0.83 to 0.266 microhoms), OC (0.546 to
1.74 %), OM (0.956 to 3.08%), N2 (0.243 to 0.516 %), P (0.093 to 0.259%), Na
(24.66 to 135.33 ppm), Ca (0.057 to 2.127 mg/g), Mg
(0.015 to 0.068 mg/g) and CaCO3 (1.81 to 7.633%) ranges were recorded at all
the stations.
KEY WORDS: Soil, pH, EC, Minerals, Macro nutrients.
INTRODUCTION:
Soils form only a relatively
thin layer over one third of the surface of this planet, and roots of crop
plants do not grow much beyond 1m depth of soil. The supply of nutrients such
as nitrate and phosphorus to a plant depends upon the activity of
microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi which are approximately 1μm in
length. Soil is a mixture of inorganic material (sand, silt and clay
particles), non-living organic matter and living organisms with the particles
arranged into solid structures with spaces between them which contain air and
soil solution. In the mid-nineteenth century soil was considered simply as a
mixture of disintegrated rock and decomposing organic matter. The red soil could
be used as an effective filter medium for the removal of arsenic from water (Pravin D Nemade et al.,
2009).
Soil consists of mineral
particles of various size, shapes and chemical characteristics together with
plant roots. Soil properties
particularly hydro physical properties (Liu et
al., 2000) are important for both crop growth and maintaining soil quality.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Study site:
Agricultural soil samples were collected from ten
different stations via; Nazareth, Puliyampatti, Alwartirunagri, Sathankulam, Vepankulam, Kurumbur, Kovilpatti, Anavarathanallur, Eral and Paikulam of Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu. Most of the study areas are
clayey soil and crops like paddy, black gram and banana were seasonally
cultivated and are irrigated by Thamirabarani River
except Kovilpatti. In Kovilpatti
taluk most of the areas are dry lands and depend on
annual rainfall for cultivation of cotton, sunflower, cereals, grains and other
vegetables. Under rainfed conditions the cultivated
lands become useful for charcoal production. All the study areas were fertigated by cattle waste before cultivation.
Table 1. Physicochemical characteristics of the soil samples in various
stations of Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu (n=3; means ± std.error)
|
Station |
Physicochemical parameters |
|||||||||
|
pH |
EC |
OC % |
OM % |
Ca mg/g |
Mg mg/g |
CaCO3 % |
N2 % |
P % |
Na ppm |
|
|
Nazareth |
6.84 ±0.014 |
0.133 ±0.040 |
1.643 ±0.024 |
2.85 ±0.021 |
1.446 ±0.032 |
0.032 ±0.028 |
6.31 ±0.019 |
0.516 ±0.004 |
0.132 ±0.003 |
31.66 ±1.01 |
|
Puliyampatti |
7.15 ±0.021 |
0.133 ±0.040 |
0.646 ±0.021 |
1.15 ±0.014 |
1.243 ±0.029 |
0.029 ±0.022 |
4.077 ±0.022 |
0.435 ±0.006 |
0.173 ±0.004 |
24.66 ±2.27 |
|
Alwartirunagari |
6.55 ±0.024 |
0.233 ±0.040 |
0.546 ±0.010 |
0.956 ±0.024 |
0.83 ±0.039 |
0.039 ±0.028 |
1.913 ±0.022 |
0.286 ±0.006 |
0.094 ±0.003 |
37.66 ±1.08 |
|
Sathankulam |
6.73 ±0.029 |
0.133 ±0.040 |
0.836 ±0.024 |
1.336 ±0.031 |
0.057 ±0.015 |
0.015 ±0.021 |
2.283 ±0.015 |
0.243 ±0.023 |
0.151 ±0.004 |
33.66 ±0.41 |
|
Vepankulam |
6.75 ±0.014 |
0.133 ±0.040 |
1.136 ±0.017 |
1.923 ±0.031 |
0.53 ±0.032 |
0.032 ±0.014 |
3.25 ±0.025 |
0.409 ±0.008 |
0.25 ±0.021 |
73.33 ±2.94 |
|
Kurumbur |
6.55 ±0.014 |
0.266
±0.040 |
1.22 ±0.018 |
2.063 ±0.035 |
1.397 ±0.033 |
0.033 ±0.033 |
5.353 ±0.020 |
0.363 ±0.003 |
0.077 ±0.003 |
135.33 ±3.34 |
|
Kovilpatti |
7.25 ±0.021 |
0.216 ±0.020 |
1.05 ±0.021 |
1.863 ±0.010 |
1.533 ±0.037 |
0.036 ±0.021 |
7.633 ±0.020 |
0.381 ±0.002 |
0.093 ±0.003 |
82.66 ±2.16 |
|
Anavarathan-allur |
6.89 ±0.026 |
0.166 ±0.040 |
1.74 ±0.021 |
3.08 ±0.021 |
2.127 ±0.068 |
0.068 ±0.042 |
4.943 ±0.023 |
0.385 ±0.003 |
0.233 ±0.021 |
94.33 ±2.48 |
|
Eral |
6.77 ±0.014 |
0.083 ±0.020 |
1.593 ±0.053 |
2.616 ±0.046 |
1.637 ±0.018 |
0.018 ±0.035 |
3.8 ±0.021 |
0.463 ±0.015 |
0.259 ±0.006 |
42.33 ±2.16 |
|
Paikulam |
6.72 ±0.021 |
0.133 ±0.040 |
1.3 ±0.032 |
2.186 ±0.024 |
1.44 ±0.029 |
0.028 ±0.021 |
1.81 ±0.019 |
0.313 ±0.004 |
0.139 ±0.002 |
39 ±1.22 |
Physicochemical analysis:
The soil samples were brought
to the laboratory by using airtight polythene bags for the analysis of
physicochemical parameters. The soil samples were dried in shade (at 2025oC
and 2060% relative humidity) and the soil clods were crushed lightly and
grinded with help of mortar. The samples were passed through 2 mm stainless
steel sieve and remixed.
Various physicochemical
parameters were analysed as per the standard
procedures. The pH of the soil was
determined by using digital pH meter (Davis and Freitas
1970). Electrical conductivity of
sample was determined by using electrical conductivity bridge (Singh et al., 1999),
determination of available nitrogen was alkaline permanganate method of Subbaiah and Asija (1956), determination of Phosphorus was
measured optical density by using spectrophotometer by Olsen and Sommers (1982), sodium was estimated using flame photometer
by Knudsen et al., (1982), Calcium and Magnesium was estimated by
EDTA Versenate method by Cheng and Bray (1951), determination of Calcium carbonate was done by titration method by Dewis and Freitas (1970) and determination of soil organic carbon and organic matter were
followed by Walkley and Black (1934) method, respectively.
RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION:
Physico-chemical parameter such as pH, EC, organic carbon,
organic matter, calcium, magnesium, calcium carbonate, nitrogen, phosphorus and
sodium content were recorded in Table-1. The pH of the soil samples were
ranging from 6.55 to 7.25 at all the ten stations. Electrical conductivity of
soil samples were ranging from 0.083 x 102microhome to 0.266 x 102
microhome.
Salt value of 0.46 to
1.0 reduced seed emergence or caused damage to plant. Salt values over 1.0 are likely to cause damage to
most plants. The soluble salt concentration in soil was commonly used as a
measure of salinity. Soil with EC below 0.4mS/cm were considered marginally or
non-saline, while soils above 0.8mS/cm were considered severely saline. The
soils under analysis were found non-saline soil. The soil organic matter is a
critical component that enables the parent material of soil to release the
nutrients in the ecosystems and to form the soil structure. The water holding
capacity decreases the soil erosion (Matson et
al., 1997). In the present study the percentage of the soil organic carbon
ranged between 0.546 to 1.74% and the soil organic matter studied ranged from
0.956% to 3.08%. The soil organic matter includes all the dead plant materials
and live or dead animals. The calcium of soil samples ranged from 0.057 mg/g to
2.127 mg/g and Mg from 0.015 mg/g to 0.068mg/g was respectively. CaCO3 content range between from
1.81 % to 7.633 % was recorded. Exis- tence or absence of calcium carbonate have an important
effect on soil pH and therefore, controlling many chemical reactions in
relation to nutrient availability for plants and mobility of these elements in
soil Sarmadian et
al., (2010). Most soils of
agricultural areas are calcareous and have an alkaline reaction. The percentage
of available Nitrogen ranged from (0.243 % to 0.516), Phosphorus (0.093 to
0.259%) and Sodium (24.66 to 135.33 ppm) were recorded
respectively.
CONCLUSION:
The present
study is a preliminary attempt to study the nature of soil in different
agricultural areas in Tuticorin district of Tamil
Nadu, India. This could help to understand the nutrient profile of the district
and to prescribe the nutrients levels of the crops.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
The authors are
thankful to Dr. C.P. Balakrishnan, Head, and
Department of Botany and Mrs. P. Arockia Mary
Fernandez, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Aditanar
College, Tiruchendur for comments that greatly improved the
manuscript.
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Received on 31.12.2015 Accepted
on 22.01.2016
© Asian Pharma Press All
Right Reserved
Asian J. Pharm. Tech. 2016; Vol. 6: Issue 1, Jan. - Mar., Pg 21-23
DOI: 10.5958/2231-5713.2016.00003.9