Spatial Variability in Soil Properties of Mango Orchards in Eastern Plateau and Hill Region of India

Abstract

Analysis and interpretation of spatial variability of soil chemical properties is important in framing site-specific fertilizer management practices for mango orchards. This paper aims to study the spatial structure of soil variables in the mango orchards in the eastern plateau region of India. Soil samples were collected from 90 points across the mango orchards from three soil horizons (0-30, 30-60 and 60-90cm). Eleven soil properties were analysed by classical statistical and geo-statistical methods. Soil pH exhibited the lowest statistical variation (CV<15%) while it was highest (CV 68.4 to 97.8%) for the phosphorous (P) content in all the soil layers. Spherical, Gaussian and Exponential semivariogram models were developed after accounting for necessary transformations. The findings of geostatistical analysis showed that spatial structures exist in the soil variables. In surface layers, soil pH, phosphorous (P), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca) and copper, (Cu) have the strong spatial dependence with nugget-sill ratios of less than 25%. Analysis suggested that both the internal and external factors are responsible for the spatial dependence of the soil properties. The magnitude and the pattern of spatial variability in soil chemical properties have implications for variable rate fertilizer application strategies in the mango orchards of the eastern region.