Soil-Site Suitability Evaluation for Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) in Western Saurashtra Region of Gujarat, India.

Abstract

A detailed soil survey was undertaken in Porbandar taluka, Porbandar district with the aim to assess the status and potential of land resources for the production potential and suitability evaluation for groundnut. The area of the taluka has been divided into four major landforms viz., hill, pediment, pediment & alluvial plain and coastal plain. Based on the variation in physiography and soil characteristics, 16 soil pedons were studied in the taluka. Pedon P1 occurring on hill which are moderately shallow, sandy, mixed, calcareous, skeletal, Hyperthermic, Lithic Ustorthents whereas pedon P2 belongs to pediment which are moderately shallow, clayey, mixed, calcareous, Hyperthermic, Lithic Haplustepts in nature. Pedons from P3 to P8 occurring on coastal plain which are moderately shallow to very deep, fine/loamy, mixed/smectitic, calcareous, Hyperthermic, Vertic/Lithic/Typic Haplusterts. Pedons from P9 to P16 occurring on coastal plain which are very shallow to very deep, clayey/clayey skeletal/sandy/fine, mixed, calcareous, Hyperthermic, Lithic/Aridic/Torretic/Typic Haplustepts/Ustorthents/ Ustipsamments/ Haplusalids/ Halaquepts/ Torripsamments in nature. These soils are moderately alkaline (7.88 pH) to very strongly alkaline (9.64 pH), low (0.39%) to very high (1.65%) in organic carbon, non to very low saline (EC 0.12-1.99 dsm-1) and very low (0.28%) to high (23.77%) in calcium carbonate. Coarse fragment of the soils varies from 10-50%. Soil has been assessed for suitability of groundnut as per the criteria given by Naidu et al., 2004. Soils of the pedon P3- P8, P11 and P12 were moderately suitable, whereas pedon P1, P2, P10, P13 and P16 was marginally suitable for the cultivation of groundnut. Soils of pedon P9 and P14-15 were not suitable for the groundnut cultivation due to extreme values of depth, texture, pH, organic carbon and water logging respectively. Potentially soils of pedon P13 was moderately suitable in contrast to P14 and P15 which are marginally suitable.