INTRODUCTION:

Soil is one of the most important resources of the nature. Every living is straight and lastly dependent on soil for the human food is derivative from the earth. Creation plan for have strong and soil is essential to human being survival. Soil has composite role which is useful to human and other living organism. The industrialization and development in agriculture are necessary to meet the basic requirement of people; at the same time it is necessary to preserve the environment [1]. The modern concept, the soil quality is the ability to sustain plant and animal productivity, to increase water and air quality and to contribute plant and animal health [2-3] although all Physico-Chemical properties are involved in soil functioning, bio chemical properties tend to react most rapidly to get change in the external environment [4-5].

Soil fertility is an important factor, which determines the growth of plant. It is depends on the concentration of N, P, K organic and inorganic materials, micronutrients and water. In general soil chemical fertility and in particular lack of nutrient inputs is a major factor in soil degradation [6]. The yield and quality of crop depends upon the fertilizers and presence of micronutrients. The soil condition is of great importance because it is a universal medium for plant growth, which supplies essentials nutrients to the plants [7]. But due to excess use of fertilizers, the physico-chemical status in soil is being changed [8]. Physico- chemical characteristics of different soils vary in space and time due to variation in topography, climate, physical weathering processes, vegetation cover, microbial activities, and several other biotic and abiotic variables [9]. Present study is an attempt to find out the nutrient's quantity in farmland soil of nearby villages of Hingna taluka, Nagpur district, Maharashtra. This information will help farmers to decide the amount of fertilizer to be added to soil to make the production economic. The objective of this paper was to analyze the trend in pH, EC, OC, N, P, K and CaCO₃ status of farmland soil of nearby villages of Hingna Taluka, Nagpur district, Maharashtra.

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

Collection of soil samples:

Ten soil samples were collected from the surface of farmland soil from nearby villages of Hingna Taluka, Nagpur District, Maharashtra in the month of January 2017. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0-30cm in polythene bags and were labelled as S₁ to S₁₀.

Chemicals and Apparatus:

All chemicals used were of analytical reagent grade chemicals. The experimental solutions were prepared by using doubly distilled water. All glass wares used in the present study were made from Borosil glass.

Physico-Chemical Characterization:

The collected samples were analyzed for major Physical and Chemical soil quality parameter like pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) [10]. The pH of the soil suspension was determined using pH meter (Elico pH meter, model LI-120). Electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil was determined in the filtrate of the water extract using Conductivity meter (Elico model CM-180). Percentage organic carbon (OC) was determined by chromic acid wet digestion method as standard procedure of Walkley and Black method, available nitrogen was estimated by alkaline Permanganate method, available phosphorus determined by Olsen’s volumetric method. Available potassium content in the soil was determined by using ammonium acetate extractable method and calcium carbonate was determined by Rapid titration method with standard NaOH solution.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

The physico-chemical properties of farmland soil samples of nearby villages of Hingna Taluka, District Nagpur, and Maharashtra are given in Table-1. Variation of physico-chemical parameters of farmland soil samples are shown in figures- 1 to 7.

pH:

Soil pH is an important consideration for farmers and gardeners for several reasons, including the fact that many plants and soil life forms prefer either alkaline or acidic condition [11]. Soil pH denotes soil’s acidity or alkalinity and is the measure of hydrogen ions (H⁺) in the soil solution. A study on soil pH revealed that the soil samples collected from the farmer’s field were slightly alkaline and pH ranged from 7.62 to 7.91.

Electrical conductance (EC):

Electrical conductance (EC) is a good sign for the crops as it helps in the absorption of the nutrients [12]. Greater the ion concentration in soil solution; more is the EC [13]. The EC study of soil shows variation in conductivity values between 0.16 mS to 0.54 mS. these values of EC suggest normal soil.

Table : Physico-chemical characterization of farmland soil samples of nearby villages of Hingna Taluka, District Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

Soil Samples	pH	EC (mS)	% OC	N (Kg/ha^-1)	P (Kg/ha^-1)	K (Kg/ha^-1)	% CaCO₃
S₁	7.62	0.21	0.71	456	20.56	1142.40	4.53
S₂	7.71	0.26	0.55	376	2.40	860.16	7.48
S₃	7.65	0.54	0.69	497	34.27	672.00	8.61
S₄	7.73	0.37	0.46	314	6.45	443.52	3.79
S₅	7.86	0.16	0.32	219	33.47	376.32	5.14
S₆	7.68	0.39	0.47	338	12.90	483.84	6.35
S₇	7.81	0.45	0.63	456	4.84	564.48	3.12
S₈	7.74	0.51	1.07	736	31.05	604.80	4.86
S₉	7.88	0.42	0.93	624	35.08	685.44	3.64
S₁₀	7.91	0.46	0.62	415	7.26	658.56	4.77

Organic carbon (OC):

Soil organic carbon is the seat of nitrogen in soil and its determination is often carried out as an index of nitrogen availability. If the soil organic carbon is present in soil then this soil is useful for the agricultural practices. Organic carbon may be added in the soil in the form of animal manures, compost, etc. Organic carbon in the present study varies from 0.32 % to 1.07 % and shows medium to high organic carbon content in the soil samples.

Available Nitrogen (N):

Nitrogen is a most important fertilizer element. It is the most important major nutrient required by plant for proper growth and development. It is a part of all living cells, which is a necessary part of all proteins, enzymes and metabolic processes involved in the synthesis and transfer of energy [14]. Available nitrogen in the present farmland soil samples varies from 219 kg ha^-1 to 736 kg ha^-, which is medium to very high nitrogen content.

Available Phosphorus (P):

Phosphorus is an essential element because of the large amount of phosphorus required for plants growth. Phosphorus is most often limiting nutrients remains present in plant nuclei and act as energy storage. In the present farmland soil samples, available phosphorus ranges from 2.40 kg ha^-1 to 35.08 kg ha^-1 indicates low to very high content of phosphorus.

Figure-1: Variation of pH in soil samples

Figure-2: Variation of EC in soil samples

Figure-3: Variation of OC in soil samples

Figure-4: Variation of N in soil samples

Figure-5: Variation of P in soil samples

Figure-6: Variation of K in soil samples

Available Potassium (K):

Potassium plays a key role in a vast array of physiological process and vital to plant growth from protein synthesis to maintenance of plant water balance [15]. Soils that have adequate potassium allow plants to develop rapidly and outgrow plant disease, insect damage and protect against winter freeze damage [16]. Potassium was found in the range of 376.32 kg ha^-1 to 1142.40 kg ha^-1, which shows very high potassium content in all ten farmland soil samples.

Figure-7: Variation of % CaCO₃ in soil samples

Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃):

In the irrigation soils calcium carbonate occurs in natural state. Soil fertility is not uniformly affected by the presence of carbonates. Calcium carbonate values in the present soil samples ranged from 3.12 to 8.61 %.

CONCLUSION:

Physicochemical characterization of farmland soil is important to agriculture for plants growth and soil management. A physic-chemical studies of ten farmland soil samples from nearby villages of Hingna Taluka, show different values for various sites. This study gave information about very low, low, medium, moderate, high and very high content of physico-chemical parameters and nutrients in farmland soil. By using this information farmer can manage necessary fertilizers and nutrients needed for farmland soil in order to increase the percentage yield of crops.

ACKNOLEGMENT:

The authors are thankful to Principal, Dr. Ambedkar College, Nagpur for providing laboratory facilities for carrying out this work.

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Received on 02.04.2017 Modified on 18.04.2017

Asian J. Research Chem. 2017; 10(3):301-304.

DOI: 10.5958/0974-4150.2017.00049.9