Study on NPK status in soils and banana plants of district Nawabshah [Pakistan]
2001
Korai, A.A.
An attempt was made to evaluate the N, P and K status of banana through soil and plant analysis. Twenty-three Cavendish banana plantations were selected at random from ban and growing areas of district Nawabshah. A diagnostic survey regarding crop and nutrient management practices and samples collection was carried out during the month of January 2000. The soil and plant samples were analyzed for N, P and K contents. The results were compared with the established critical levels of soils and plants to diagnose deficiencies. The area under banana plantation ranged from 4 to 26 acres with an average of 15.7 acres/grower. Urea, DAP and NP fertilizers commonly used for NP requirements of plants. Annual fertilizers used ranged from 215 to 442 kg N, 85 to 284 kg P205 and 0 to 185 kg K20 kg/ha/year. All the growers used FYM. The quantity ranged from 5-15 t/ha with an average of 8.2 t/ha. Banana yields ranged from 19.76 to 39.52 t/ha with an average of 30 t/ha. Soils under banana plantations were heavy in texture. Soils were non-saline in nature. Soils were alkaline in reaction, pH ranged from 7.2 to 8.2 at 0-15 cm and from 7.4 to 8.2 at 15-30 cm soil depths. Soils were low to medium in organic matter content, it ranged from 0.49 to 1.53% at 0-15 cm and 0.41 to 1.16% at 15 to 30 cm depths. Nitrogen content of surface and sub-surface soils ranged from 0.024 to 0.085 and from 0.02 to 0.058% for 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths. Phosphorus content ranged from 4.75 to 43.0 mg/kg at 0-15 cm depth and 2 to 32 mg/kg at 15-30 cm soil depth. Potassium content of soil ranged from 132 to 487.5 mg/kg at 0-15 cm depth and from 97.5 to 269.1 mg/kg at 15-30 cm soil depth. Soils were moderately calcareous in nature, lime content ranged from 11.2 to 15.5% at 0-15 cm depth and from 8.0 to 16.0% at 15-30 cm depth. Carbonates were absent at both the depths. Bicarbonates were present in very small quantities. Chlorides were the dominant anion in soils of Nawabshah. It ranged from 4.5 to 11.5 meq/I at 0-15 cm depth and from 3.3 to 9.3 meq/I at 15-30 cm depth. The averages were 8.0 and 6.6 meq/I respectively. Soluble calcium content ranged from 2.0 to 11.0 meq/I at 0-15 cm and from 2.0 to 12.0 meq/I at 15-30 cm depth. Soluble Magnesium content ranged from 2.0 to 10.0 meq/I at 0-15 cm soil depth and from 2.0 to 8.0 meq/I at 15-30 cm soil depth. Zinc content ranged from 0.26 to 2.66 mg/kg at 0-15 cm depth and at 15-30 cm depth it ranged from 0.29 to 0.91 mg/kg. Nitrogen leaf concentration ranged from 2.15 to 3.30% with an average value of 2.64%. Phosphorus leaf concentration ranged from 0.11 to 0.18% with an average value of 0.15%. Potassium leaf concentration ranged from 3.08 to 4.06% with an average value of 3.49%. Zinc leaf concentration ranged form 12.77 to 20.82 mg/kg with an average of 17.30 mg/kg. Chloride leaf concentration ranged from 0.60 to 1.30% with an average value of 1.0%.
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