Journal of FARM SCIENCES, Vol 30, No 4 (2017)

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Effect of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) plantation on nutrient status of soil in hilly zone of Karnataka

SHAHBAZ NOORI, S. S. INAMATI

Abstract


Land and soil qualities exert considerable influence on spatial distribution and productivity of rubber in the area.Soil fertility evaluation under different aged rubber growing plantation soils in Hilly zone of Karnataka were studied. Hillyzone was classified into two ecological zones based on annual rainfall distribution viz., Mundgod (798 mm) and Sagara(1918 mm). Results indicated soil under rubber plantation were predominantly acidic in nature with pH ranging from 4.29to 4.81. With increase in age of plantation, the soil fertility reduced considerably with respect to control. The status of soilorganic carbon (SOC) and primary soil nutrients were considerably high in Mundgod (low rainfall zone) ranging from SOC(0.60–0.95 %), available nitrogen (308.22–342.88 Kg ha-1), available phosphorous (25.72–29.30 Kg ha-1) and availablepotassium (180.30–199.37 Kg ha-1), while Sagara (high rainfall zone) experienced low soil nutrient fertility ranging fromSOC (0.69-0.82 %), available nitrogen (261.03-284.26 Kg ha-1), available phosphorous (22.22-26.52 Kg ha-1) and availablepotassium (154.96-167.91 Kg ha-1) which could be due to higher nutrient uptake by trees and leaching loss characterized bysite

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