Evaluation of Soil Texture, EC, pH and Primary Macro Elements in Five Mango Orchard Soils of Kotri, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Analysis of soil is a very important practice for evaluating the nutrient status and ultimately establishing the fertilizer application program for soil health, fruit quality and production. The aim of present study was to assess the soil texture, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, and primary macronutrients such as N, P, K at 0-15 and 15-30cm depths from five orchards such as Aijaz farm (Orchard 1), Zardari farm (Orchard 2), Shahnawaz farm (Orchard 3), Ismail farm (Orchard 4), and Malik Azad farm (Orchard 5) of Kotri, Sindh Pakistan. The results indicated that most of the soils were sandy clay loam in textural class. The maximum electrical conductivity was found 0.65 dS m^-1 in orchard 5, whereas the lowest electrical conductivity was found as 0.42 dS m^-1 in orchard 1 at 15-30cm. All the orchards were found alkaline in nature at both 0-15 and 15-30cm depths. The total N content was found 80% low and 20% adequate at 0-15cm depth and 100% orchards were found low in total N content in soil at 15-30cm depth as compared with standard values. The AB-DTPA-P content in orchards were found 60% marginal and 40% adequate at 0-15cm depth, whereas 20% low, 40% marginal and 40% adequate were found at 15-30cm depth. AB-DTPA-K (mg kg^-1) was found 20% low and 80% marginal at 0-15 and 15-30cm depths. Future studies should focus on assessing the soil biological properties, plant analysis, soil interaction mechanism, amended with press mud compost, farmyard manure, biochar, modified biochar, nano-material, minerals and low-cost additives.