Vol. 12, Issue 3 (2023)

Grid based 141 surface (0-15 cm) soil samples were collected from farmer’s cultivated field by systematic survey, through the use of GPS at distance demarcation of 0-5, 5-10, 10-15 and 15-20 km from sea coast in Northern Saurashtra coastal region of Gujarat (Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka and Porbandar district), during May, 2019. These soil samples were analyzed for determination of ECe, pHs, exchangeable cations (cmol (p+) kg^-1), ESP, SAR and SSP to study the salinity status of soil. The soils of Northern Saurashtra coastal region were low saline in nature and ECe values ranged from 0.49 to 18.22 dS m-1 with mean value of 3.21 dS m^-1. The overall mean value of pHs was 7.58 and it was ranged from 6.82 to 8.36. The average value of exchangeable sodium percentage was 12.56, suggesting relatively lower hazard of alkalinity in soils of Northern Saurashtra coastal region. The overall values of soluble sodium percentage were ranged from 33.67 to 88.38 and mean value of sodium adsorption ratio was 6.04, it was ranged from 1.15 to 21.57. About 12.06, 14.89, 9.93 and 63.12 per cent soil samples were found saline, saline-sodic, sodic and normal, respectively.

On the basis of analyzed data, it can be concluded that ECe, exchangeable cations (cmol (p+) kg-1) except K+, ESP, SSP and SAR were decreased, while pHs was slightly increased with increasing the distance from sea coast. ECe was found beyond to its critical or marginal limit up to 0 to 5 km distance from sea coast, while SSP was found beyond to its critical limit up to 20 km distance from sea coast. The highest number of samples were found under normal class followed by saline-sodic, saline and sodic.