2025, Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part B

author(s)
Madivalappa VD, Jayaprakash R, Sridhar R, Ravikumar D and Shankar M

abstract
A study was carried out to assess the fertility status of soils under pomegranate orchards of Challakere taluk of Chitradurga district, Karnataka during the year 2023-24. Soil samples were collected at two depths (0-20 and 20-40 cm) from different pomegranate growing orchards across Challakere taluk. The soil samples were analysed for various soil fertility parameters. The results indicated that at 0-20 cm depth, soil reaction was found to be slightly acidic to alkali (5.90 to 9.20), electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 0.45 to 3.50 dS m^-1 and soil organic carbon (SOC) was low to medium in these soils and ranged between 1.50 to 7.20 g kg^-1. At 20-40 cm depth, soil reaction was found to be slightly acidic to alkali, EC varied from 0.41 to 2.80 dS m^-1 and SOC was low in status. The soil texture varied from sandy to sandy clay and the sand content in surface soil ranged from 41.80-86.30 per cent and in subsurface it was between 40.00 to 85.70 per cent whereas the clay content ranged between 6.10 to 39.10 per cent in surface and 6.61 to 39.70 per cent in subsurface. Bulk density ranged between 1.31 to 1.48 Mg m^-3 in surface and 1.37 to 1.53Mg m^-3.