Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Seven soil profiles from the various saline-alkali areas of the Punjab were studied. Besides physico-chemical determinations, the soil samples were also analysed for micronutrient status such as exchangeable manganese, copper, zinc and reducible Fe and total extractable iron (Fe+++Fe+++). Exchangeable Mn and Cu contents have been found to be generally low. Same is the case with reducible Fe. Very little difference is revealed between reducible Fe and total extractable iron (Fe+++Fe+++) of the soils. Exchangeable zinc content though low is not as much less as other trace elements. Except at one site the exchangeable Mn is below 1.9 ppm. Exchangeable Cu ranges from traces to 0.57 ppm. The reducible Fe content is extremely low at all the places except in surface samples at three sites viz Bhagwanpur, Manawala and Chopri.
