1Junior Scientist, Rainfed Research Sub-station for Sub-tropical Fruits, Raya, Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu-181 143, J&K
2Prof & Head, Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu-180 009, J&K
3Assistant Professor, Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu-180 009, J&K
4Associate Professor, Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu-180 009, J&K
*Corresponding author Email id: vijaykumar.1144@yahoo.com
Online published on 16 July, 2018.
The present investigation was undertaken to study the influence of different land use systems viz. forest, horticulture, agriculture, pasture and degraded land on soil organic carbon and structural stability in north-western Himalayas, India. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content was higher in pasture land (7.57 g kg−1) and was least in degraded lands (5.01 g kg−1), but bulk density and particle density was higher in degraded land. The maximum water holding capacity was higher in forest and least in degraded land in the surface and sub-surface layers. The dry and wet aggregate stability index and percent of aggregates in the 2.0 mm class was higher in pasture land than other land uses. The aggregate stability index from dry structure (ASId) and their corresponding wet aggregate stability index (ASIw) were related significantly (r = 0.999**).
Structure, Sustainability, Maximum water holding capacity, Soil conservation
