Assessment of available macro and micronutrient status of coastal Jamnagar District in Saurashtra region of Gujarat

Two hundred surface (0–20 cm) soil samples from the ten talukas of coastal Jamnagar district viz., Jamjodhpur, Bhanvad, Kalyanpur, Dwarka, Kalavad, Jamnagar, Lalpur, Jamkhambhalia, Jodiya and Dhrol were collected from the cultivated soils, and were analyzed for different chemical properties. Soils were deficient with respect to available N and S, whereas medium in available P and high in available K status. The soils are alkaline in reaction with overall pH2.5 8.18. Soils of entire district were calcareous (free CaCO₃ 54.9%) in nature with low to medium in organic carbon. Among the DTPA extractable micronutrients, Mn and Cu found sufficient, whereas the soils are medium in Fe and Zn. The nutrient index found for available N (1.59) and S (1.62), medium for available P (1.68) and high for K (2.67), DTPA extractable Zn (1.59) low, and high for Fe (2.35), Mn (2.36) and Cu (2.48) in the soils of Jamnagar district. Significant and positive correlation was found between soil organic carbon content and pH, available N, Mn and Zn. The soil pH was found to negatively correlated with available N, P, K and S.