Widespread deficiencies of sulphur,boron and zinc in dryland soils of the Indian semi-arid tropics

    Sahrawat, K L and Wani, S P and Rego, T J and Pardhasaradhi, G and Murthy, K V S (2007) Widespread deficiencies of sulphur,boron and zinc in dryland soils of the Indian semi-arid tropics. Current Science, 93 (10). pp. 1428-1432. ISSN 0011-3891

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    Abstract

    To characterize the fertility status of soils under dryland agriculture in the semi-arid regions of India, we collected 3622 soil samples from farmers' fields in watersheds, spread in several districts of Andhra Pradesh (AP; 5 districts), Karnataka (5 districts), Tamil Nadu (TN; 5 districts), Rajasthan (3 districts), Madhya Pradesh (MP; 2 districts), and Junagadh District, Gujarat. Results of the analysis of soil samples showed that almost all farmers' fields sampled were low in organic carbon and low-to-moderate in extractable phosphorus, but generally adequate in extractable potassium. The widespread deficiencies of sulphur (S), boron (B) and zinc (Zn) were most revealing; their deficiencies varied with nutrient, district and state. The deficiencies of S, B and Zn nutrients were more widespread in farmers' fields in AP, Karnataka, MP, TN and Gujarat than in the Rajasthan watersheds. Our results demonstrate that crops grown under rainfed agriculture in the semi-arid tropical regions of India not only face water shortages and deficiencies of major plant nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), but they also suffer from multi-nutrient deficiencies of S, B and Zn.

    Item Type: Article
    Divisions: UNSPECIFIED
    CRP: UNSPECIFIED
    Uncontrolled Keywords: Crop productivity, fertilizer recommendation, multi-nutrient deficiencies, rainfed agriculture, soil
    Subjects: Others > Soil Science
    Depositing User: Mr Sanat Kumar Behera
    Date Deposited: 14 Oct 2011 04:15
    Last Modified: 14 Oct 2011 04:43
    URI: http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/2471
    Official URL: http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/nov252007/contents.ht...
    Projects: UNSPECIFIED
    Funders: Government of Andhra Pradesh, Department for International Development, Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Asian Development Bank
    Acknowledgement: We thank the Andhra Pradesh RuraLivelihood Programme (APRLP) of the Government ofand the Department for International Development, theSpecial Fund for Watershed Development andSir Dorabji Tata Trust and the Asian Developmentcial support of various projects under which this study was undertaken
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