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Ca-zeolites as Transitory Eco-System Engineers: Hydro-Pedological Evidence in Cracking Clay Soils (Vertisols) of Semi-Arid Marathwada Region, Maharashtra

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Title Ca-zeolites as Transitory Eco-System Engineers: Hydro-Pedological Evidence in Cracking Clay Soils (Vertisols) of Semi-Arid Marathwada Region, Maharashtra
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Creator SWATI P. ZADE, P. CHANDRAN AND D. K. PAL
 
Subject SAT Vertisols, Marathwada, Maharashtra, Zeolites as eco-system engineers, Hydro-pedological evidence, Regressive pedogenesis, Natural soil degradation
 
Description Not Available
Out of the area under cracking clay soils (Vertisols) in Peninsular India, nearly 5.6 % is occupied by Vertisols in the state of Maharashtra. Research endeavors on the genesis and management of Vertisols of semi-arid tropical (SAT) climate was accomplished during the last few decades for major regions of Maharashtra except Marathwada. But such effort needs to be extended to this region as precise information on the physical and chemical characteristics associated with the hydro-pedology of Vertisols developed in the alluvium of the Deccan trap basalt of the Marathwada region is not adequate enough to suggest appropriate management protocols to enhance their productivity. Majority of the Marathwada region support rain-fed agriculture with low productivity. Therefore, systematic studies on the SAT Vertisols of Marathwada region are warranted to know the extent of regressive pedogenetic processes that are operative in SAT Vertisols of this region and also to develop cause-effect relationship of natural soil degradation (if any) in presence of soil modifiers or ecosystem engineers like Ca-zeolites. Ten SAT Vertisols were selected in the districts of Buldhana, Parbhani, Osmanabad, Beed, Jalna and Aurangabad of Maharashtra state. These Vertisols contain Ca-zeolites in their basaltic parent materials. Ca- zeolites are considered as prolonged ecosystem engineers in supporting the successful enterprise for forestry, horticultural and cereal crops, and spices in non-calcareous and acidic Vertisols, Alfisols and Mollisols developed on the Deccan basalt or in its alluvium under the humid tropical climate of the Western Ghats and Satpura Regions for the several millions of years. In contrast, SAT Vertisols of Marathwada showed contrasting physical and chemical characteristics so much that their US Soil Taxonomic classes are Typic Haplusterts and Sodic Haplusterts. Due to the dominant pedogenetic processes like the formation of pedogenic CaCO3 (PC) and illuviation of Na-saturated fine clays, some Typic Haplusterts showed more exchangeable Mg percentage (EMP) than exchangeable Ca percentage (ECP) in their Bss horizons, which caused lowering of saturated hydraulic conductivity (sHC) at a value little over 10 mm hr-1, preventing strong swelling of plasmic fabric and rise of pH near to 8.2 and above. Zeolites could not prevent the lowering of exchangeable Ca/Mg ratio < 1.5 almost throughout depth, rise in pH, exchangeable Na percentage (ESP) and EMP, weak swelling of plasmic fabric and reducing the sHC
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Date 2020-08-25T06:01:09Z
2020-08-25T06:01:09Z
1001-01-01
 
Type Research Paper
 
Identifier Not Available
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http://krishi.icar.gov.in/jspui/handle/123456789/40198
 
Language English
 
Relation Not Available;
 
Publisher The Clay Minerals of India