Micro-Nutrient Cycling and Distribution in Different Aged Plantations of Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) in Vertisols of Nagpur

The study was conducted at Agroforestry Research Farm, Nagpur to know the soil nutrient status of bamboo plantations. The present study evaluates the soil nutrient status in bamboo plantations which was compared with cultivable land. Soil pH was lower in the Bamboo (1992, 6 X 8 m) followed by other plantations and cultivable land. Bamboo plantations had higher OC, IOC, DTPA Extractable Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu, Water soluble Boron and molybdenum than cultivable land. The total biomass and above ground biomass production of Bamboo (1992, 6 X 8 m) was found to be higher followed by other plantations where as no crop stand still in cultivable land. The organic carbon and total nutrients add through leaf biomass (tonnes/ha) to soils was found to be higher in Bamboo (1992, 6 X 8 m) followed by other plantations whereas there was no total returns of nutrients and OC to cultivable land.