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S. K. Gangopadhyay ¹, T. Bhattacharyya ², Dipak Sarkar ²

Affiliations
1 National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (ICAR), Regional Centre, Kolkata 700 091, IN
2 National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (ICAR), Amravati Road, Nagpur 440 033, IN

Abstract

Hydromorphic soils that have developed on gently to very gently sloping flood plain areas of Tripura, North East India under humid tropical climate, were studied for characterization with reference to the degree of hydromorphism. The soils are characterized by the redoximorphic features, viz. mottling, gley with chroma 2 or less, and have a typical gley colour from the surface to subsoil, mostly influenced by the high groundwater level. These soils support the granary of the state. The degree of hydromorphism in these soils has been determined by the extent and distribution of mottles and gley in the profiles, which reflects the effect of the fluctuating groundwater table and depth of the permanent water table. The soils are deep to very deep with varying texture and drainage classes and have some common characters during pedogenesis under impeded drainage condition. Soils are acidic, medium to high in organic carbon, low in cation exchange capacity (CEC) and medium to high in base status. The low value of 1N KCl extractable Al⁺³ corroborates relatively high proportion of hydroxyinterlayered vermiculitic clay mineral present in the soil. Soil texture is found to be the key factor in developing hydromorphism as well as soil organic carbon stock in the hydromorphic soils of Tripura. Translocation of clay and free iron oxide (Fe_d) is generally prominent in the soils with medium to coarse texture. Based on the physical and chemical properties and the hydromorphic index, the soils can be arranged as Nayanpur > Dukli II > Dharaichherra > Dukli I > Goachand to indicate the degrees of hydromorphism.

Keywords

Gley, Hydromorphic Soils, Mottles, Soil Organic Carbon.

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Jaya N. Surya ¹, G. S. Sidhu ¹, Tarsem Lal ¹, D. K. Katiyar ¹, Dipak Sarkar ²

Affiliations
1 ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre Delhi, IARI Campus, New Delhi 110 012, IN
2 ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Amravati Road, Nagpur 440 033, IN

Abstract

Soil series representing different physiographic units were studied to know the impact of temporal change in land use and cropping system on some soil properties in the northwestern parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The dynamics in land use and cropping system for the period 1983-84, 1996-97 and 2007-2008 and change in soil properties for the period 1983 and 2008 were studied. In Singhpur soil series developed on Shiwalik hills, the soil organic carbon (SOC) content decreased from 0.69% in 1983 to 0.40% in 2008 on account of increased deforestation and soil erosion. However, no significant changes were observed in soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC). In Manjuwal (upper piedmont plain) and Mandiani series (lower piedmonts) slight changes in SOC, pH, EC and calcium carbonate were found. In Naura series (normal soils), occurring in the old flood plain, SOC content of surface soils increased to >1.0% in 2008 compared to 0.41% in 1983 because of shifting of cropping system of maize-wheat to high biomass-producing cropping system (rice-wheat, rice-potato/mustard/peas/sunflower) and addition of fertilizers under high management practices. The soil pH and EC decreased slightly during 1983 to 2008. Similar results were also observed in Bhaura series (salt-affected soils) and Bairsal series in recent flood plains. Thus, the land use and cropping system in less-intensive cultivated areas of Shiwalik hills and piedmonts do not have much influence on the soil properties. However, in intensively cultivated areas of old and recent flood plains, where high biomass-producing rice-wheat system replaced wheat-maize system, the soil properties had changed to a large extent.

Keywords

Land-Use Dynamics, Physiographic Units, Rice–Wheat Cropping System, Soil Quality Parameters.

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Sharmistha Pal ¹, G. S. Sidhu ², A. K. Tiwari ¹, Dipak Sarkar ³, V. N. Sharda ⁴

Affiliations
1 ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Chandigarh 160 019, IN
2 National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, IARI Campus, New Delhi 110 012, IN
3 National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Amravati Road, Nagpur 440 033, IN
4 Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan-I, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, IN

Abstract

Soil erosion map of Punjab highlights the degree of soil erosion caused by water in the state. The values of soil loss per annum from each grid location were quantified using universal soil loss equation (USLE) and used in GIS for preparing the soil erosion map of Punjab state. About 87% of the total geographical area of Punjab has annual soil loss below 5 Mg ha^-1 and does not require specific soil conservation measures. About 4.02% of the area is affected by annual soil loss of >15 Mg ha^-1, which includes moderately severe (0.88%), severe (1.72%) and very severe (1.42%) soil loss @ 15 to 20, 20 to 40 and 40 to 80 Mg ha^-1 respectively. This necessitates the development of improved technologies (conservation agricultural practices, contour bunding, contour cultivation, etc.), which need to be adopted for improving the productivity on a sustainable basis.

Keywords

Conservation Planning, Punjab, Soil Loss, Universal Soil Loss Equation.

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