Yogender Sharma , J. C. Sharma

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during May 2001 to May 2002 to study the effect of irrigation and nutrient regimes on soil moisture status , availability of nutrients and hiomass in under young Chir pine (Pinus roxburghii) plantation. Nine treatment combinations comprising of three irrigation regimes and three nutrient regimes were tested. The study revealed that the higher irrigation (lR₂) and nutrient (NR} regimes and their iuteractiou (IR₂NR₂) significantly increased the availability of N , P and K over control (lR_oNR_o). The availability of N , P and K decreased by 12.4-16.0 , 4.07-5.18 and 12.5-14.0 kg/ha , respectively in 0.15cm depth during a period of six months and also decreased with depth. The plantation under dry irrigation regime (lR_o) encountered severe moisture stress during September to January and March to May and growth was adversely affected. The higher irrigation (lR₂) and nutrient (NR₂) regimes and their positive interaction (lR₂NR₂ ) effect registered 21.87 , 24.77 and 48.10 percent higher above ground biomass over control.

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J. C. Sharma , Vipin Kumar

Abstract

Hydro-physical and chemical characteristics of soils under five dominant landuses viz. agriculture, forest, grass, scrub and barren lands in Shiwalik hills of district Solan of Himachal Pradesh were computed and compared. Shiwalik hill soils are coarse textured, slightly acidic to neutral in reaction, high in organic carbon, low in CEC and available N supplies and moderate to high in P and K status. Hydraulic characteristics and available water (AW) varied widely under landuses and were found to be highest in forest lands closely followed by grass lands and lowest under scrub/barren lands. On the basis of AW, different landuses could be arranged in the order: forest lands > grass lands > agricultural lands > barren lands > scrub lands. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and steady state infiltration revealed a reverse trend as both were highest in barren lands and lowest in grass lands. Considering hydro-physical and chemical characteristics, these soils seem to have narrow possibilities for cereal and shallow ischolar_mained annual crops.

Keywords

Hydro-physical, Landuses, Shivalik Hills, Grass Land, Soil Texture

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