Characterization and Classification of Sweet Orange-growing Soils of Jalna District, Maharashtra

Based on variation in physiography, soils and productivity of sweet orange, seven pedons were characterized in Jalna district of Maharashtra for their physical, chemical properties, nutritional status of soil and leaves. These pedons were shallow (P2), moderately deep (P1, P3, P4) and others were deep to very deep and had their Munsell colour notation in 10YR/7.5YR/5YR hue with value 3 to 4 and chroma 1 to 4. The dominant structure was moderate medium sub-angular blocky in Inceptisols (P1 to P3) but angular blocky structure in sub-soils of Vertisols (P4 to P7). In general, sand, silt and clay content ranged from 14.4 to 46.9,8.1 to 27.3 and 38.1 to 66.3% in different horizons, respectively. Bulk density ranged from 1.29 to 1.96 Mg m⁻³ and increased with depth. The soils were alkaline to strongly alkaline in reaction. The CEC of soils varied from 38.8 to 67.8 cmol(p⁺)kg⁻¹. Majority of surface and sub-surface layers had relatively higher organic carbon content than the underlying ones. The available N, P and K content ranged from 68.1 to 313.2, 0.97 to 27.0 and 195.7 to 1287.2 kg ha⁻¹, respectively in different pedons. The DTPA-Zn was found to be deficient in all the soils. The leaves of sweet orange were found to be deficient in N, K and Fe (at all sites). On computation of the existing limitations, a new criterion has been proposed, this criterion indicate that all the pedons are moderately suitable.