Vol. 6, Issue 10 (2017)

Author(s):
D Srinivas, Saroja Raman and PC Rao

Abstract:
Physico-chemical properties of soil have a profound influence on soil enzyme acid and alkaline phosphatases activity. To study the distribution of acid and alkaline phosphatases and influence on physico-chemical properties on soil enzymes, twenty-two soil samples belong to alfisols were collected from different parts of Andhra Pradesh. These samples were analysed for the physicochemical properties like pH, EC, available nutrients, texture and organic carbon and soil enzyme activity was assayed. Acid phosphatase activity of the soil expressed as µg of 4-nitrophenol released g^-1 soil h^-1 ranged from 16.9 to 268.4 with an average value of 67.3. Similarly, the alkaline phosphatase varied from 16.3 to 185.2 with a mean value of 62.9 µg of 4-nitrophenol g^-1 soil h^-1. The pH ranged from 5.5 to 8.4, electrical conductivity from 0.002 to 0.20 dSm^-1 and organic carbon from 1.4 to 6.2 g kg^-1. The available Nitrogen varied from 118 to 263 kg ha^-1. The available P status in the soils varied from 12 to 65 kg ha^-1. The range of available K ranged from 81 to 289 kg ha^-1. Acid phosphatase was significantly and positively correlated with organic carbon (r = 0.60**) and available P (r = 0.55**). Similarly, Alkaline phosphatase was significantly and positively correlated with organic carbon (r = 0.63**) and available P (r = 0.53**). Both the phosphatases did not show any significant correlation either with silt, clay and pH.