An Asian Journal of Soil Science

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Impact of Altitude and Slope on Soil Textural Characteristics of Terrace Lands in Darjeeling under Eastern Himalayan Region, India


Affiliations
1 Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia (W.B.), India
2 Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia (W.B.), India
     

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A textural property of soil plays an important role in determining its suitability for crop production. With such hypothesis, the study was undertaken during 2010-2012 in Darjeeling, under eastern Himalayan region. Four sample villages viz., Sangsay (V1), Dalapchand (V2), Pudung (V3) and Sindebong (V4) located at approximately 5500, 4500, 3500 and 2500 ft. altitudes, respectively were selected for the study. Moreover, soil textural characteristic of terrace lands was greatly varies with altitudes and slope per cent. Results revealed that per cent sand, silt and clay content of surface soil at 0-15cm depth indicates that both bulk densities vary from 1.50-1.75 g/cm-3. Particle density on the other hand was found to be relatively higher in V3 (3.20 g/cm-3) and V4 (2.98g/cm-3). As a consequence porosity of the soil of these two lower altitude villages were higher and varied from 53.12 - 44.60 per cent. The clay content, in general, was found to be increasing with the deposition of clay and/or silt at lower altitude through runoff water from the higher altitudes. The higher significant inverse correlation (r = -0.848**) confirms the statement. Only V4 had the soil clay loam in nature while in all the other villages was of sandy clay.

Keywords

Altitude, Drainage, Porosity, Runoff, Terrace.
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  • Impact of Altitude and Slope on Soil Textural Characteristics of Terrace Lands in Darjeeling under Eastern Himalayan Region, India

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Authors

Bandhan Subba
Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia (W.B.), India
Pulin B. Chakraborty
Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia (W.B.), India

Abstract


A textural property of soil plays an important role in determining its suitability for crop production. With such hypothesis, the study was undertaken during 2010-2012 in Darjeeling, under eastern Himalayan region. Four sample villages viz., Sangsay (V1), Dalapchand (V2), Pudung (V3) and Sindebong (V4) located at approximately 5500, 4500, 3500 and 2500 ft. altitudes, respectively were selected for the study. Moreover, soil textural characteristic of terrace lands was greatly varies with altitudes and slope per cent. Results revealed that per cent sand, silt and clay content of surface soil at 0-15cm depth indicates that both bulk densities vary from 1.50-1.75 g/cm-3. Particle density on the other hand was found to be relatively higher in V3 (3.20 g/cm-3) and V4 (2.98g/cm-3). As a consequence porosity of the soil of these two lower altitude villages were higher and varied from 53.12 - 44.60 per cent. The clay content, in general, was found to be increasing with the deposition of clay and/or silt at lower altitude through runoff water from the higher altitudes. The higher significant inverse correlation (r = -0.848**) confirms the statement. Only V4 had the soil clay loam in nature while in all the other villages was of sandy clay.

Keywords


Altitude, Drainage, Porosity, Runoff, Terrace.

References