National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001
1Present address: Dept. of Agric. Chemistry and Soil Science, RCA Campus, Udaipur.
The variability in hydrological properties of two Vertisols derived from alluvia of gneissic complex and basalt, representing Berach and Chambal plains respectively, is studied. Vertisols from gneissic complex register higher water content (0.26 to 0.67 m3m−3) at 0.03 MPa and greater PAWC (210 to 285 mm in control section) while their counterpart from basaltic alluvium show higher water content at 1.5 MPa and low PAWC (157.0 to 17250 mm in control section). Higher water content at field capacity and greater PAWC in vertisols of gneissic complex is due to greater clay and silt sized carbonates whereas free iron oxide along with clay is responsible for higher water retention at wilting point in Vertisols of basaltic alluvium. Early commencement of drought is imminent in latter while plants can sustain drought for longer duration in former. Severally restricted drainage environment with hydraulic conductivity of 0.23 cm h−1 is recorded in vertisols of gneissic complex as compared to others on basaltic alluvium. Free iron oxide, clay sized carbonate and sodicity govern the variation in hydraulic conductivity in the Vertisols.
Free iron oxide, hydraulic conductivity, silt and clay sized carbonates, Vertisols, water retention
