Resource Soil Survey of Khamaria Seed Farm in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh for Site- Specific Agro- Management

Abstract

The increasing population and decreasing land under plough necessitated proper understanding of land recourses. In this regard Soil survey plays an essential scientific role in increasing knowledge and understanding of soil variability for site- specific management of various uses of land. Keeping this in view, detailed soil survey of Khamaria seed farms (255 ha) was carried out using cadastral map (1:4000 scale) superimposed with Google Earth Map by following standard procedures for understanding the variability of soil resources. The study area is a proposed site for the establishment of Borlaug Institute of South Asia (BISA). Eight soil series (Lakhanwara 1, 2, 3 and Manegaon 1 to 5) were identified and mapped into 19 mapping units. These are swelling clay soils having dark greyish brown to dark yellowish brown colour. The pH of the mapping units ranged from 5.4 to 8.4 and organic carbon from 0.20 to 11.51 gkg-1. These soils are deficient in available S and DTPA-Zn but medium to high in DTPA-Fe and Mn. Large area is under rice-wheat cropping system which is impounded during monsoon period. The remaining area is under pasture, grassland, current fallow or cultivated to lentil, linseed, soybean, pea, gram, sunflower and niger in patches. These soils have been grouped under land capability class II and III. These soils are in general moderately suitable to rice and wheat. Depending upon landform, elevation, nearness to road and availability of water resources, demarcation of suitable sites was done for the proposed farm plan to establish Borlaug Institute of South Asia (BISA). Construction of two check dams, one across the Darshan nala, and other across the Pariyat River is also suggested for rain water conservation that can ensure cultivation of crops in kharif and rabi seasons. Water samples from different sources were also analysed. Soil and other thematic maps have been proposed. Land use planning and irrigation scheduling are suggested to be based on important soil quality parameters as the soils of the farm contain soil modifiers called zeolites which are reported to govern many soil properties.