Effect of Continued Submergence on Soil Reaction, Electrical Conductivity and Oxidizable Matter

Incubation studies conducted in the laboratory on 12 soil samples representing 6 profiles collected from areas essentially growing paddy year after year revealed that on submerging soils for 15 days, pH values increased In all soils except those which were calcaerous in nature. Submergence of soils for prolonged period of 30 days showed no further change in pH of the soils. Increase in pH has been ascribed due to increased content of reducible Mn and not so much to reducible Fe. EC values of soils showed a decrease with period of submergence but these values increased in case of supernatant liquid. The values of pH, EC, and oxidizable matter for supernatant liquid were higner than the respective values of wet soil samples.