CHANGES IN SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND FERTILITY STATUS OF LONG-TERM CULTIVATED SOIL: A CASE STUDY IN SOUTHWESTERN BANGLADESH

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 03-06
Author(s):  
Mehjabin Hossain ◽  
Md. Tareq Bin Salam
Author(s):  
Gebeyaw Tilahun Yeshaneh

The study was conducted at the Abuhoy Gara Catchment, which is located in the Gidan District of North Wello Zone. The aim of the study was to study farmers’ perceptions about the effect of farm land management practices and soil depth on the distribution of major soil physico-chemical properties in eroded soils of Aboy Gara watershed. To address this issue, semi-structured interviews were conducted in 64 households to gain insight into soil fertility management practices, local methods were used to assess the fertility status of a field, and perceived trends in soil fertility. Thirty-three farmers were then asked to identify fertile and infertile fields. According to farmers response, farmers’ fields were characterized as fertile where it comprise black color, cracks during dry season, good crop performance, vigorous growth of certain plants and presence of plants in a dry environment whereas the infertile is where it shows yellow/white and red colors, compacted soils, stunted plant growth, presence of rocks and stones and wilting or dying of crops in a hot environment. A total of eight indicators (soil color, texture, soil depth, topography, soil drainage, and distance from home, type of weeds grown and cultivation intensity) were found to be used by farmers to evaluate and monitor soil fertility. The results of administered questions showed that the principal indicators mentioned by farmers as very important were soil colour (82.8%), continuous cropping land (72.2%), soil texture (62.8%), distance from home (61%), type of weeds grown (56%), soil depth (55.6%), topography (51.1%), and soil drainage (28.7%) as very important. So, among sixty four interviewed farmers: deep soil (60 farmers), soils near to home (60 farmers), forest soil (59 farmers), smooth fine soil (59 farmers), black color soil (58 farmers) and gentle slope soil (57farmers) are categorized as fertile whereas 59, 57, 56, 55, and 44farmers said that Sandy/coarse soil, shallow soil depth, steep slope soils and yellow/white, red soils and continuously cultivated soils are infertile, respectively. The overall result showed that there was good agreement between farmers’ assessment of the soil fertility status of a field and a number of these indicators. The soil laboratory analysis also corresponded well with farmers’ assessment of soil fertility. Therefore, to design more appropriate research and to facilitate clear communication with farmers, researchers need to recognize farmers’ knowledge, perceptions about assessments of soil fertility. Because, as they included all soil factors affecting plant growth, farmers’ perceptions of soil fertility were found to be more long term day-to-day close practical experience finding than those of researchers.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayalakshmi Mitnala

Sorghum and wheat are the premier food grain crops of the peninsular central India and in particular of Maharashtra. There has been a phenomenal increase in its production after mid sixties with the introduction of high yielding varieties. Increase in production was achieved through increase in area as well as productivity. Inputs like improved seeds, irrigation, fertilizers etc. has given a boost to productivity. Continuous addition of chemical fertilizers poses problems like toxicity due to high amounts of salts as residues of fertilizer and deterioration of the physico-chemical properties. Organic manure ameliorates this problem as organic matter helps in increasing adsorptive power of soil for cations and anions particularly phosphate and nitrate. Long term manuring and fertilizer experiments conducted in India showed declining trend in productivity even with the application of NPK fertilizers under modern intensive farming. Neither organic source alone nor inorganic fertilizers can achieve sustainability in crop production under intensive agriculture, where nutrient turnover in soil-plant system is much higher. However, their combined use appeared promising in enhanced crop productivity besides improving soil fertility.


Author(s):  
Amol M. Jadhav ◽  
Pravin U. Singare

Ulhas River which is one of the most polluted rivers of Mumbai receives heavy pollution load from the nearby Dombivali industrial belt. Previous studies reported along the Dombivali industrial belt has indicated that the pollution level is so much alarming that it has created threat to nearby residential areas and also to the Ulhas River flowing in the outskirts of the Dombivali City. It is feared that the toxic chemicals present in the industrial waste might affect the sediment ecosystem of the river. Hence this has provoked us to carry the systematic and detailed study of physico chemical properties of the sediment samples collected along the Ulhas River. The study was done during the year 2012 and 2013, at the sites where the industrial discharge from Dombivli industrial belt Phase I and Phase II joins the Ulhas River. The study was performed to understand the physico chemical properties such as pH, alkalinity, chloride and phosphates. Results of the study reveal that there is an urgent requirement for systematic and regular monitoring of pollution level along the Ulhas River which will further help in improving the industrial waste treatment procedure adopted, along the Dombivli industrial belt. It is expected that such scientific studies will be useful to determine the extent of pollution control measures required in order to avoid long term irreparable damage to the Ulhas River ecosystem.


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