International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

Information regarding spatial variability and distribution of soil properties is critical for stakeholders attempting to increase nutrients use efficiency and crop productivity. The soils of Alirajpur district having the bulk density, pH, EC, OC and CaCO₃ varied from4.70 to 8.40, 0.03 to 0.90 dSm^-1, 0.47 to 12.92 g kg^-1 and 5.0 to 115.0 g kg^-1 soil, respectively. Available N, P, K and S content in soils of Alirajpur district ranged from 76.0 to 382.0 kg ha^-1, 1.34 to 62.13 kg ha^-1, 53.52 to 529.85 kg ha^-1 and 0.55 to 33.90 mg kg^-1 soil, respectively. Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and B contents in soil varied from 0.03 to 1.98, 0.06 to 3.74, 1.07 to 36.0, 1.34 to 43.0 and 0.03 to 4.76 mg kg^-1 soil, respectively. The categories of the soil fertility status were made with respect to N, P, K and S as medium, high, medium and low (M-H-M-L). The 64.71%, 93.01% and 25.37% soil samples were observed to be low in S, Zn and Fe, respectively. The results revealed that none of the samples were tested low in Cu and Mn and these are not a major problem in Alirajpur district. Correlation analyses among the above highly weighted variables were done to remove the redundant variables, accordingly OC and N, Fe and Mn, CaCO3 and Zn were highly correlated, and finally OC, Fe and Zn were retained owing to their high factor loading. The sensitive indicators (Minimum dataset) under the soils of Alirajpur District in descending order of importance as revealed by factor analysis were as follows: OC > Fe > Zn > B > EC > K > MBC.

The sensitive indicators under the soils of Alirajpur district in descending order of importance as revealed by factor analysis were as follows: OC > Fe > Zn > B > EC > K > MBC. This suggests that these indicators may be used in future for characterizing the state of soil conditions of district. Soil quality index rating ranged from 0.22 to 0.31 under the different blocks and 0.22 for district as whole with l parameter soil quality index 0.31 for Alirajpur district.