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Assessment on physical and chemical properties of surface soil and subsoil of coconut cultivated lands located in region of Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

Volume: 7  ,  Issue: 1 , June    Published Date: 06 July 2018
Publisher Name: IJRP
Views: 870  ,  Download: 588

Authors

# Author Name
1 M. B. Fathima Jemziya

Abstract

Appropriate physicochemical conditions of soil and fertilizer recommendations for coconut cultivation have been limited in Sri Lanka. A study was conducted to evaluate the status of soils supporting coconut cultivation in Batticaloa. Surface soil (0 – 15cm) and the subsoil (15 – 30cm) of five localities in Batticaloa area were investigated for physiochemical properties and soil fertility. The results showed that most of the soil properties are declined with significant difference (p>0.05) with soil depth, whereas moisture content of soil increase with soil depth with a range from 0.23±0.01% to 0.23±0.01%. The ranges for the studied soils properties are 2.63±0.02 - 2.49±0.03 for true density (gcm-3), 1.68±0.05 - 1.64±0.03 for apparent density (gcm-3), 36.30±1.41 - 36.30±1.41 for porosity (%), 7.82±0.04 - 8.12±0.06 for pH, 20.4±0.93 - 17.8±1.16 for CEC (meq/100g), 11.4±0.47- 8.68±0.56 for TEB (meq/100g), 56.11±2.29 - 48.82±0.29 for OM (%), 0.39±0.02 - 0.35±0.01 for Nitrogen (g/100g), 0.043±0.001 - 0.035±0.001 Phosphorous (g/100g) and 1.12±0.03 - 1.03±0.04 Potassium (g/100g) respectively. The results showed the samples were not generally ideal for coconut growth and production of best yields because of considerable deviation from acceptable limits. It is recommended that the soils in these area need fertilization and optimum soil management for the highest benefits of coconut cultivation.

Keywords

  • coconut
  • physicochemical properties
  • fertility elements
  • surface soil
  • subsoil