Assessment of available major and micronutrient status of soils under varied cropping systems of N.T.R district, Andhra Pradesh

Assessment of soil properties and nutrient status is essential for addressing issues of soil health through which one can guide for maintaining sustainable crop productivity. In view of this, soil samples were collected from selected villages under different mandals of NTR district to assess physico chemical properties, macronutrients and micro nutrients status. A total of 144 soil samples (0–20 cm depth) were collected from Rice-Rice, Rice-Pulse, Cotton-Pulse, Maize-Pulse and agri-horticulture cropping systems and results revealed that the soils under investigation were slightly acidic to alkaline in reaction (pH 6.60 to 8.20), mostly non-saline and low too high in organic carbon status (0.18 to 1.52%). The mean available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur content recorded were 298, 22.90, 196 and 45 kg⁻¹ ha Exchangeable Ca, Mg in the ranged from 1.90–10.20 and 1.20–5.50 C mol (p+) kg⁻¹ - With respect to micronutrients, the mean available Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe and B content are 0.52, 3.50, 1.52, 5.50 and 0.85 mg kg⁻¹ respectively. The nutrient index (NI) of studied samples for organic carbon -1 (1.54), nitrogen (1.30) is categorized under low, sulphur (2.86) and magnesium (2.82) are categorized as high and K, Ca and micronutrients as medium.