Vertical Distribution of DTPA Extractable Micronutrients in Two Distinct Soils of Central India under Diverse Land-uses

Crop productivity and health of human and animals are greatly influenced by availability of micronutrients in the soil. Understanding the nature and extent of deficiency problems of these nutrients is useful in improving the fertilizer recommendations by inclusion of micronutrients in the fertilization schedule. This investigation carried out to evaluate the vertical variability in status of DTPA extractable micronutrients in two contrast soil types (medium black and alluvial soils) under different land uses. Soil sample were collected in triplicate from six distinct land use practices (forest, uncultivated, soybean-wheat, rice-wheat, soybean-chickpea and maize-wheat system) from Jabalpur (medium black soil) and Gwalior (alluvial soil) region at four depths (0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm) after harvest of rabi season crops during 2020-21. Statistical analysis of data was done using factorial RBD considering soil type (medium black soil and alluvial soil) as factor A and land use practices as factor B. It was found that contents of DTPA extractable micronutrients (zinc, copper, iron and manganese) were found maximum under forest land in both the soils at 0-15 cm depth and decreased with increase in soil depths. It was also noted that under different land use practices DTPA extractable Zn, Mn and Cu were higher in medium black soil as compared to alluvial soil, however available Fe found higher in alluvial soil across the soil depths. The results clearly indicated that Zn, Fe, Mn was significantly affected by different soil type except Cu are non significant. Zn, Cu, Mn was significantly affected by different land use practices but Fe are non significant.