Soil quality assessment and its suitability for crop production

Abstract

Soil properties are sensitive to various changes in the management and can be employed as indicators. Pollution in soil and water is strictly related to anthropogenic activities such as industrial wastages. Soil is a vital component, medium of unconsolidated nutrients and materials, forms the life layer of plants. The physico-chemical parameters of soil determine their adaptability to cultivation and the level of biological activity that can be supported by the soil. In view of the applications of chemical fertilizers for higher production of crops, the quality of soil decreases. Keeping in view of the rapid industrialization and hectic agricultural activities in East Godavari region of India, there is great need in analyzing the soils for physico-chemical parameters viz. pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, CO32–, HCO3–, OH–, total hardness, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na2+, K+, chloride, sulphate and phosphate to assess the chemical contamination of soils. The correlation matrices for physicochemical parameters are generated to verify the internal relationship between the parameters. Further it is also proposed to estimation of the irrigation parameters viz., percent sodium (Na %), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), Kelly's ratio (KR) and magnesium hazard (MH) to verify the suitability of soils for irrigation purposes. The results revealed that the soils near sago, paper and sugar industrial areas are slightly alkaline in nature. Higher phosphate concentration indicates the discharge of agriculture runoff in to soils. These irrigation parametric values indicate that these soils suitable for irrigation purposes however higher magnesium hazard (MH) values of soil indicate the depletion of the soil quality which in turn reduce the yield of the crops in study areas.