Fertility status of soils of the recent floodplains of Punjab

This study was conducted to (i) determine the amounts, fractions, and available N, P, K, and S and, (ii) to evaluate relationships between soil organic, inorganic, labile fractions, and various physical and chemical parameters of typical recent floodplain soils of Punjab. Majority of the floodplain soils were low to medium in Olsen P, and available S, and medium in available K, and N. Distribution pattern of nutrients indicated the dominance of inorganic fractions that controls the availability reactions in the floodplain soils. Total S, and P exhibited significant positive relationship with clay fraction of the soil (r= +0.80** and +0.34*). However, total N, and K were significantly and positively correlated with soil OC (r= +0.66**) and sand fraction (r= +0.73**), respectively. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that clay fraction of soil could best predict total P, and inorganic P, whereas soil OC is the best predictor of organic P, and labile organic P content in the floodplain soils. Significant positive correlation between total and available nutrient content was obtained.