Effect of Soil Moisture Regimes on Zinc Availability in Red, Black and Sodic Soils of Uttar Pradesh

An incubation study was conducted during 2009 to study the effect of different soil moisture regimes on zinc availability in red, black and sodic soils of Uttar Pradesh. Two moisture regimes viz., field capacity and submergence and three levels of Zinc @ 0, 25 and 50 kg Zn/ha were tested. The maximum availability of Zn at zero incubation period was registered in black soil (2.40 ppm) followed by red soil (1.96 ppm) and minimum in sodic soil (2.40 ppm). At field capacity, the availability of Zn decreased up to 30 days of incubation but increased in 30 to 60 days of incubation period, whereas in case of submergence the Zn availability was decreased at all the incubation period in all the level of Zn application. The maximum availability of Zn was found at field capacity after 60 days of incubation with the application of 50 kg Zn ha⁻¹ in black soil (4.66 ppm) followed by red soil (4.26 ppm). The minimum availability of Zn was recorded in sodic soil (2.83 ppm) at without zinc application. Application of highest tested dose of zinc sulphate @ 50 kg/ha significantly increased the availability of zinc in all types of soil as compared to rest of the doses of zinc.