Fertility characterization of sugarcane growing soils in low hill subtropical zone of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to assess the soil fertility status of soils under sugarcane based cropping sequences in low hill subtropical zone of Himachal Pradesh. Based on the standard GPS based soil sampling methodology, surface soil samples (0-15 cm) from fifteen representative sites were collected from soils under sugarcane based cropping sequences in Una and Sirmaur districts of Himachal Pradesh and analyzed for available nutrient status. The available N (kg ha-1), P (kg ha-1), K (kg ha-1), Ca {cmol(p+)kg-1}, Mg {cmol(p+)kg-1}, S (kg ha-1), Cu (mg kg-1), Fe (mg kg-1), Mn (mg kg-1) and Zn (mg kg-1) in cultivated soils ranged from 245 to 492, 7.2 to 13.8, 124 to 196, 2.8 to 4.4, 1.0 to 1.6, 16 to 32, 0.22 to 0.40, 4.6 to 10.2, 1.6 to 3.6 and 0.44 to 0.74, respectively. Per cent of total soil samples found deficient in N, P, S and Zn were 27, 53, 80 and 40, respectively. Such a spatial variation in soil fertility may be attributed to natural factors/processes as well as land management practices. It may be concluded from the present investigation that soil test based fertilizer application may be one of the important key to sustain soil productivity in low hill subtropical zone of Himachal Pradesh.