Record Details

Coconut-growing soils of Kerala: 1. Characteristics and classification

KRISHI: Publication and Data Inventory Repository

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Title Coconut-growing soils of Kerala: 1. Characteristics and classification
Not Available
 
Creator K.M. Nair, Abdul Haris, Jeena Mathew, V. Srinivasan, R. Dinesh, H. Hamza, P. Subramanian, C. Thamban, K.P. Chandran, V. Krishnakumar, Ravi Bhat, R. Hegde and S.K. Singh
 
Subject Coconut-growing soils of Kerala, plant available nutrients, soil acidity, tropical soils
 
Description Not Available
Growth, productivity and health of coconut plantations in humid tropics are influenced by soil qualities. Fertility of coconut-growing soils of Kerala was assessed by analysing samples drawn from the distinct agro-ecological regions of the state: Central and Eastern Palakkad, Northern Kerala, Central Kerala and Southern Kerala, Onattukara sandy plain and coastal sandy plain. The strongly acid soils of Northern and Central Kerala and Onattukara sandy plain are unfavorable for plant nutrient availability and microbial processes.
Surface and sub-soils of Central Kerala and sandy plains have low levels of organic carbon. Available phosphorus was high in soils of Southern Kerala and Onattukara sandy plain. Plant available potassium was not adequate in these coconut-growing soils. The nutrient levels in soils of Central Kerala and sandy plain were extremely low. The same pattern was true for secondary nutrients calcium and magnesium. Soils of all regions have adequate levels of available sulphur, iron and manganese. Copper and zinc deficiency was
recorded for laterite soils of central region and sandy soils of Onattukara and coastal plain. Plant available boron was deficient in all regions except for the soils of Southern Kerala. Molybdenum levels were marginal in coconut growing soils, except for the soils of Palakkad. Overhead climate and soil moisture availability does not constrain the palm in the state except for Eastern Palakkad where irrigation during dry period is an absolute necessity. The extensive areas of midland laterites and Onattukara sandy plain with strong
acid reaction and aluminium in soil solution severely constrain coconut. The acid soils also suffer from deficiencies of potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and boron. These soil related constraints affect coconut production significantly and alleviation of the same through liming and adequate application of deficient nutrients can ensure satisfactory yields from the palm.
Not Available
 
Date 2018-11-26T10:58:12Z
2018-11-26T10:58:12Z
2018-08-01
 
Type Research Paper
 
Identifier Not Available
doi: 10.25081/jpc.2018.v46.i2.3719
Not Available
http://krishi.icar.gov.in/jspui/handle/123456789/13451
 
Language English
 
Relation Not Available;
 
Publisher Indian Society for Plantation Crops