2024, Vol. 7, Special Issue 2

author(s)
Ayman Javed, Shaista Nazir, Zahida Rashid, Yasir Hanif Mir, Shahid A Hakeem and Javid A Bhat

abstract
The recognition of geographical variations in soil properties holds significant importance in the identification of polluted regions and the implementation of agricultural practices. The primary objective of this investigation was to generate nutrient maps that can be utilised for the implementation of site-specific nutrient management strategies. This was achieved by examination of geospatial interdependence and variability of micronutrients. Soil samples from district Kupwara were analysed to determine the particle size distribution, organic carbon (OC), and levels of accessible copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and nickel (Ni). An atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) was utilized for accurate measurement of element concentrations. The samples were collected utilising ArcGIS (10.2) with a randomised grid pattern. Microelements exhibited significant heterogeneity, as indicated by a coefficient of variation (CV) exceeding 28.05%. Descriptive statistics for the research region reveal noteworthy accumulations of DTPA-extractable Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn, Ni concentrations were relatively lower. Probability distributions of soil microelements indicated that zinc and copper are the only elements that exhibit approximately normal distributions. The research underscores the significance of establishing nutrient management zones, particularly to optimise zinc availability in agricultural systems. The spatial variability maps generated holds the potential to serve as a valuable resource for precise and location-specific micronutrient management within the designated research region.