Status of Micronutrients in Rice Growing Alluvial Soils of Delta Area of Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India
K Hema *
Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College, Bapatla, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur 522034, Andhra Pradesh, India.
M.V.S. Naidu
Department of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, Guntur 522034, Andhra Pradesh, India.
B.P. Bhaskar
Department of Soil Science, ICAR-NBSS & LUP Regional Centre, Hebbal, Bangalore 560024, Karnataka, India.
K.V. Naga Madhuri
IFT, Regional Agricultural Research Station, ANGRAU, Tirupati 517502, Andhra Pradesh, India.
V. Ramamurthy
ICAR- NBSS & LUP, Regional Centre, Bengalore, India.
P. Lavanya Kumari
Department of Statistics & Computer Applications, Agricultural College, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati 517502, Andhra Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
An investigation was carried out to study the micronutrient status of rice-growing soils of the delta area of Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh to know the potential of these soils to supply micronutrients to rice crops. For this, six profiles viz., Vemulamada (P1), Kothapalli (P2), Velivelu (P3), Nangegadda (P4), Penamaluru (P5), and Ganguru (P6) were studied covering the major cereal-maize/ cereal- pulse growing areas. The soils were near neutral to strongly alkaline in reaction, non-saline, and low in organic carbon content. The weighted average of DTPA extractable zinc, copper, iron, and manganese ranged from 0.71 mg kg-1 (P6) – 1.65 mg kg-1 (P2), 1.50 mg kg-1 (P2) – 3.38 mg kg-1 (P3), 4.35 mg kg-1 (P1)- 5.62 mg kg-1 (P5) and 5.6 mg kg-1 (P4) to 11.95 mg kg-1 (P6) respectively. A mixed trend is observed across horizons in all profiles. DTPA-Fe exhibited low variability while the other micronutrients displayed higher variability. The DTPA extractable Zn was found to be deficient whereas DTPA extractable Cu and Mn were found to be sufficient. The available Mn was decreased with increasing depth in most of the profiles. All the micronutrient are positive correlation with organic carbon content.
Keywords: Cereal, correlation, descriptive micronutrients, statistical analysis