Vol. 10, Issue 12 (2021)

Author(s):
K Chandrasekar, J Prabhaharan, PP Mahendran, P Saravana Pandiyan, A Gurusamy, RP Gnanamalar and P Kannan

Abstract:
The present study was undertaken to assess the available DTPA zinc status in the major Sugarcane growing soils of Sivagangai district, Tamil Nadu. A total of 500 geo referenced surface soil samples (0-30 cm) were collected from five blocks viz., Kalaiyarkovil, Padamathur, Sivagangai, Thiruppachetty and Thiruppuvanam and analyzed for basic soil properties and available DTPA zinc. Simple correlation was worked out to ascertain the degree of relationship between soil properties and available DTPA zinc status of soil study area. The available DTPA zinc in the entire Sugarcane growing soils ranged from 0.89 to 1.76 mg kg^-1, 0.63 to 1.40 mg kg^-1, 0.80 to 1.41 mg kg^-1, 0.48 to 1.49 mg kg^-1 and 0.98 to 1.55 mg kg^-1 in soil samples of Kalaiyarkovil, Padamathur, Sivagangai, Thiruppachetty and Thiruppuvanam respectively. The results revealed that 59, 61,60, 69 and 56 per cent of the soils were deficient in available DTPA zinc, while 24, 25, 29, 23 and 28 percent and 17, 14, 11, 8 and 16 per cent soils were medium and high in available DTPA zinc in the soil samples of Kalaiyarkovil, Padamathur, Sivagangai, Thiruppachetty and Thiruppuvanam respectively. As per the nutrient index study, the soils of study area recorded marginal to medium fertility rating for available DTPA zinc and the mean nutrient index value (NIV) ranged from 1.39 to 1.60 in the soil of the study area. Among the soil properties SOC, and CEC had a positive influence on the availability of zinc and whereas, EC, CaCO₃, contents had negative impact on available DTPA zinc.