Appraisal of Physicochemical Qualities of Grazing Land Soil in Kartala Block, Chhattisgarh, India
Abstract
Animal husbandry is primarily constrained by the availability of fodder. The availability of nutrients in the soil determines the quality of the fodder crop. This requires the physicochemical analysis of grazing lands. For the present study, ten grazing lands in Kartala block in Korba district were randomly selected as sampling sites. The sampling sites are situated at Botli, Champa, Dadarkala, Dhitori, Fatteganj, Gumiya, Jogipali, Kalgamar, Koi, and Kotmer. The physicochemical analysis of the soil for pH, EC, macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and organic carbon), and micronutrients (copper, zinc, manganese, iron, and boron) is done using standard procedures. On analyzing the grazing land soil of Kartala block, it is found deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulphur with an average value of 141.4 kg/ha, 1.626 kg/ha, and 10.903 kg/ha, respectively. Among micronutrients, boron and zinc concentrations in the soil are low, with an average value of 0.146 ppm and 0.275 ppm, respectively. The pH of the grazing land soil of Kartala Block is slightly acidic and also deficient in organic carbon. The present study may help to maintain the fertility of the soil in the grazing lands of Kartala Block, which may result in enhanced forage crops and support livestock growth.