Primary and cationic micronutrient status of soils in few districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh

Fertility status of Varanasi, Mirzapur, Sant Ravidas Nagar and Chandauli districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh was evaluated analyzing six surface soil samples each from 89, 119, 88 and 93 villages of the districts, respectively. In general, soils were alkaline in pH, low in soluble salts and organic carbon. The range (mean) values of available N, P and K were 40 to 244 (143), 3 to 429 (34) and 46 to 823 (189) in Varanasi; 37 to 275 (128), 2 to 332 (31) and 55 to 996 (250) in Mirzapur; 47 to 200 (136), 5 to 332 (22) and 56 to 948 (174) in Sant Ravidas Nagar; 60 to 254 (147), 6 to 441 (44), and 52 to 905 (191) kg ha⁻¹ in Chandauli district, with all the soils low in available N. In Varanasi district, 10, 36 and 54% soils were low, medium and high in P, respectively and the corresponding figures for K were 12, 73 and 15%. In Mirzapur district, soil samples under low, medium and high were 12, 37 and 51% in P and 9, 53 and 38% in K, respectively. In Sant Ravidas Nagar district, 27, 41 and 32% soil samples were low, medium and high in P, whereas 25, 63 and 12% in K, respectively. As regards to DTPA extractable Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu, the respective deficiency percentage of the soils were 46, 15, 1 and 1 for Varanasi and 30, 18, 8 and 7 for Mirzapur districts. The soils of Sant Ravidas Nagar and Chandauli districts were deficient in Zn (16 and 32%) and Fe (3 and 1%) only.