Assessing the Nutrient Status and Soil Fertility Using Nutrient Indexed of Farmer’s Fields in Chikkaballapura District, Karnataka

Abstract

The soil samples were collected by farmers in their own cultivable land analysed at soil testing laboratory at KVK, Chikkaballapura. From last decade (2012 to 2022), the samples were analysed following standard procedures. Nutrient status and nutrient Index was estimated to know the fertility status of the soils. The pH of soils of Chikkaballapura district was found be neutral (65.15 %) followed by alkaline (24.33%) and acidic (10.52 %) and low (68.09%) to medium (31.65%) range in EC values. Organic carbon content was found lower (89.64%) in majority of the soils and medium range in 10.02 % soils. Likewise OC values, available N status was in lower limits (63.63 kg ha-1) and 36.37 % soils are in medium range. Available P2O5 status was recorded lower in 91.63 % and medium range in 8.19 % of the soils. Majority of the soils of the Chikkaballapura district is in medium range of available K2O according to critical limits. With respect to Nutrient Index (NI) values for OC, available N, P2O5 and K2O more than 90% soil samples found in lower category with exception to Chikkaballapura taluk for N and K2O. In this study, it was found that most of the examined soils are in low in important parameters such as OC, N, P2O5 and K2O. In this context, the adoption of appropriate soil management strategies would be helpful to improve the low and medium soil nutrient index of the soil.