The management of potassium (K) necessitates the understanding of K dynamics and assessment of cr... more The management of potassium (K) necessitates the understanding of K dynamics and assessment of crop-available K reserves. Non-exchangeable K (NeK) could have a substantial impact on plant nutrition, therefore, non-exchangeable potassium release and supplying power of soils from four different soil orders of Haryana, Northwest India was examined. After successive cropping with maize and oats, initial exchangeable K contents of 0.38, 0.22, 0.25 and 0.09 cmol(p+) kg−1 declined by 23.37%, 27.28%, 29.41% and 27.77% in Alfisols, Inceptisols, Entisols and Aridisols, respectively. The release of non-exchangeable K to plant roots in screen house was compared with K release to nitric, citric and oxalic acids in the laboratory to assess the feasibility of these acids for non-exchangeable K extraction. The amount of K released was quantified as cumulative uptake by maize and oats. Non-exchangeable K released to plant roots (r =0.94; p≤ 0.01) and oxalic acid (r=0.63; p ≤ 0.05) were significantly correlated with cumulative K uptake. The initial level of exchangeable K (Ex-K) and cumulative K uptake by maize and oats exhibited strong and significant correlation (r =0.85; p ≤ 0.05) signifying that K removal by crops results in the equilibrium among different K pools. The strongly significant relationship between non-exchangeable K released to oxalic acid and plant roots (r = 0.92; p≤ 0.01) affirms the reliability of laboratory methods vis-à-vis K release studies.
The study was carried to determine the mineralogy of soils of different geomorphic units for prov... more The study was carried to determine the mineralogy of soils of different geomorphic units for providing the more detailed information needed to improve agricultural production in north-eastern part of Haryana. The soils of the study area were slightly acidic to strongly alkaline in reaction (6-9.4). The cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity varied from 3.10-26.80 cmol (+) kg-1 and 0.16-1.20 dSm-1, respectively. In general, the soils were siliceous in nature with SiO2 ranging from 68.60 to 87.90 percent. The soil samples from surface and subsurface diagnostic horizons were studied through X-ray diffraction. In fine sand, quartz was the dominant mineral followed by feldspars, muscovite, hornblende, tourmaline, zircon, biotite, iron ores and sphene. In silt fraction, quartz was the dominant mineral followed by mica, feldspars, chlorite, kaolinite, interstratified and traces of smectite and vermiculite. Semi-quantitative estimation of clay fraction indicated that illite wa...
The study was carried to determine the mineralogy of soils of different geomorphic units for prov... more The study was carried to determine the mineralogy of soils of different geomorphic units for providing the more detailed information needed to improve agricultural production in northeastern part of Haryana. The soils of the study area were slightly acidic to strongly alkaline in reaction (6-9.4). The cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity varied from 3.10-26.80 cmol (+) kg-1 and 0.16-1.20 dSm-1 , respectively. In general, the soils were siliceous in nature with SiO 2 ranging from 68.60 to 87.90 percent. The soil samples from surface and subsurface diagnostic horizons were studied through X-ray diffraction. In fine sand, quartz was the dominant mineral followed by feldspars, muscovite, hornblende, tourmaline, zircon, biotite, iron ores and sphene. In silt fraction, quartz was the dominant mineral followed by mica, feldspars, chlorite, kaolinite, interstratified and traces of smectite and vermicu-lite. Semi-quantitative estimation of clay fraction indicated that illite was the single dominant mineral in the clay fraction of these pedons, however, its quantity was less in alluvial plains (28-30 %) compared to Shiwalik hills (36-49 %). Next to illite, a high amount of smectite (14-20 %) and vermiculite (11-17 %) were observed in clays of alluvial plains of Ghaggar (recent and old) whereas in Shiwalik hills (top and valley) these minerals were detected in small amount (6-11 %). Fairly good amount of kaolinite (10-17 %) and small amount of chlorite (4-11 %) were uniformly distributed in soil clays irrespective of geomorphic units showing their detrital origin. Medium intensity broad peaks in higher range diffractograms (14-24 A˚) indicated the presence of regular and irregular interstratified minerals in old alluvial plains of Ghaggar.
The management of potassium (K) necessitates the understanding of K dynamics and assessment of cr... more The management of potassium (K) necessitates the understanding of K dynamics and assessment of crop-available K reserves. Non-exchangeable K (NeK) could have a substantial impact on plant nutrition, therefore, non-exchangeable potassium release and supplying power of soils from four different soil orders of Haryana, Northwest India was examined. After successive cropping with maize and oats, initial exchangeable K contents of 0.38, 0.22, 0.25 and 0.09 cmol(p+) kg−1 declined by 23.37%, 27.28%, 29.41% and 27.77% in Alfisols, Inceptisols, Entisols and Aridisols, respectively. The release of non-exchangeable K to plant roots in screen house was compared with K release to nitric, citric and oxalic acids in the laboratory to assess the feasibility of these acids for non-exchangeable K extraction. The amount of K released was quantified as cumulative uptake by maize and oats. Non-exchangeable K released to plant roots (r =0.94; p≤ 0.01) and oxalic acid (r=0.63; p ≤ 0.05) were significantly correlated with cumulative K uptake. The initial level of exchangeable K (Ex-K) and cumulative K uptake by maize and oats exhibited strong and significant correlation (r =0.85; p ≤ 0.05) signifying that K removal by crops results in the equilibrium among different K pools. The strongly significant relationship between non-exchangeable K released to oxalic acid and plant roots (r = 0.92; p≤ 0.01) affirms the reliability of laboratory methods vis-à-vis K release studies.
The study was carried to determine the mineralogy of soils of different geomorphic units for prov... more The study was carried to determine the mineralogy of soils of different geomorphic units for providing the more detailed information needed to improve agricultural production in north-eastern part of Haryana. The soils of the study area were slightly acidic to strongly alkaline in reaction (6-9.4). The cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity varied from 3.10-26.80 cmol (+) kg-1 and 0.16-1.20 dSm-1, respectively. In general, the soils were siliceous in nature with SiO2 ranging from 68.60 to 87.90 percent. The soil samples from surface and subsurface diagnostic horizons were studied through X-ray diffraction. In fine sand, quartz was the dominant mineral followed by feldspars, muscovite, hornblende, tourmaline, zircon, biotite, iron ores and sphene. In silt fraction, quartz was the dominant mineral followed by mica, feldspars, chlorite, kaolinite, interstratified and traces of smectite and vermiculite. Semi-quantitative estimation of clay fraction indicated that illite wa...
The study was carried to determine the mineralogy of soils of different geomorphic units for prov... more The study was carried to determine the mineralogy of soils of different geomorphic units for providing the more detailed information needed to improve agricultural production in northeastern part of Haryana. The soils of the study area were slightly acidic to strongly alkaline in reaction (6-9.4). The cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity varied from 3.10-26.80 cmol (+) kg-1 and 0.16-1.20 dSm-1 , respectively. In general, the soils were siliceous in nature with SiO 2 ranging from 68.60 to 87.90 percent. The soil samples from surface and subsurface diagnostic horizons were studied through X-ray diffraction. In fine sand, quartz was the dominant mineral followed by feldspars, muscovite, hornblende, tourmaline, zircon, biotite, iron ores and sphene. In silt fraction, quartz was the dominant mineral followed by mica, feldspars, chlorite, kaolinite, interstratified and traces of smectite and vermicu-lite. Semi-quantitative estimation of clay fraction indicated that illite was the single dominant mineral in the clay fraction of these pedons, however, its quantity was less in alluvial plains (28-30 %) compared to Shiwalik hills (36-49 %). Next to illite, a high amount of smectite (14-20 %) and vermiculite (11-17 %) were observed in clays of alluvial plains of Ghaggar (recent and old) whereas in Shiwalik hills (top and valley) these minerals were detected in small amount (6-11 %). Fairly good amount of kaolinite (10-17 %) and small amount of chlorite (4-11 %) were uniformly distributed in soil clays irrespective of geomorphic units showing their detrital origin. Medium intensity broad peaks in higher range diffractograms (14-24 A˚) indicated the presence of regular and irregular interstratified minerals in old alluvial plains of Ghaggar.
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