Spatial Variability of Soil Macronutrients and Chemical Properties in Ujjain Tehsil of Ujjain District of Madhya Pradesh, India
Yashwant Gehlot
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (R.V.S.K.V.V.), College of Agriculture, Indore 452001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Aakash
*
Department of Agronomy, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (R.V.S.K.V.V.), College of Agriculture, Indore 452001, Madhya Pradesh, India and Department of Agronomy, R.S.M. (P.G.) College, Dhampur 246761 (Bijnor), Uttar Pradesh, India.
Roshan Gallani
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (R.V.S.K.V.V.), College of Horticulture, Mandsaur 458001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Priyanka Jadon
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (R.V.S.K.V.V.), College of Agriculture, Gwalior 474002, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Veer Singh
Department of Agronomy, R.S.M. (P.G.) College, Dhampur 246761 (Bijnor), Uttar Pradesh, India.
Sonali Kamle
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (R.V.S.K.V.V.), College of Agriculture, Indore 452001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Rinku Kamle
Department of Agronomy, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (R.V.S.K.V.V.), College of Agriculture, Indore 452001, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Subhash Mandloi
ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal 462038, Madhya Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Understanding the characteristics of soil and how it may be utilised sustainably makes soil property mapping a crucial process. To improve crop yield and preserve healthy soil, it is essential to understand the heterogeneity of the soil in each location in order to establish site-specific nutrient management strategies for that area. The current research was carried out in the Ujjain tehsil (Ujjain) district of Madhya Pradesh state, India, with the aim of measuring the spatial variability of several soil macronutrients and soil chemical characteristics. Throughout the research region, 150 geo-coded surface soil samples with a depth of 0 to 15 cm were collected. The soil characteristics, namely pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (SOC), available nitrogen (Av-N), available phosphorous (Av-P), available potassium (Av-K), and available sulphur (Av-S), were assessed in these samples using standard methods. The research region's ranges for soil pH, EC, SOC, Av-N, Av-P, and Av-K were 7.01 to 8.15, 0.10 to 0.79 dSm-1, 0.30-0.60%, 139.00 – 235.00 kg ha-1, 8.00 – 25.60 kg ha-1, and 301.00 – 463.00 kg ha-1, in that order. The data were analysed using classic statistics and geo--statistics by constructing semi-variograms and mapping by ordinary kriging techniques. Semi-variograms were calculated for soil characteristics and their spatial distributions were mapped. Best-fit models for measured soil properties were Exponential, Circular, Gaussian and Hole effect with Nugget/Sill (Co/Co+C) ratio for modelled variables indicated strong and moderate spatial dependences. The distribution maps of soil attributes could be utilized as a guide for site-specific crop management in similar soils. Further, this study demonstrates the usefulness of GIS- application in soil variability studies.
Keywords: Soil properties, soil variability, geo coded, geo-statistics, spatial dependence, semi-variogram, ordinary kriging