Status of chemical properties and available major nutrients in soils of Patan District of Gujarat, India

Total 360 soil samples were collected from nine talukas of Patan district to analyze the soil reaction (pH), electric conductivity (EC) and organic carbon available major nutrients (N, P and K) by multistage random sampling during April 2016. Soils of Patan district are neutral to moderately alkaline in reaction (pH range 7.00 to 9.25; mean 8.14), soluble salt content (EC-range 0.05 to 9.10 dS/m; mean 1.01 dS/m) and low in organic carbon content (OC-range 0.03 to 1.38%; mean 0.33%) indicating poor fertile soil. The nutrient index for available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium varied from 1.13 to 1.68, 1.83 to 2.48 and 2.2.0 to 2.90, respectively. This represented that the soils of Patan district were low in available nitrogen (232.28 kg/ha), adequate in available phosphorus (49.35 kg/ha) and very high in available potassium (413.46 kg/ha). Soil available nitrogen and phosphorus showed positive correlation with organic carbon and potassium, respectively.