Impact of different cultivated land use systems on some soil physico-chemical and chemical properties of Nirmal district of Telangana

The present study was conducted to assess the impact of different cultivated land use systems viz. (rice, cotton, maize and soyabean) on soil quality and fertility status in Godavari River Belt of Nirmal District of Telangana. Soil samples were analysed for some physico- chemical and chemical properties. The soils of the study area are neutral to slightly alkaline (6.62 - 8.46), non-saline in nature (0.13 - 0.98 dS m-1) and low to high in organic carbon status (2.90 - 7.5 g kg-1) in all land use systems. Soils were low in available nitrogen (100.32 to 267.18 kg ha^-1), medium to high in available phosphorus (18.27 to 36.42 kg ha-1), low to high in available potassium (149.44 - 376.45 kg ha-1) and low to sufficient in available sulphur (8.48 - 17.53 mg kg-1). The DTPA-extractable zinc (0.24 to 1.13 mg kg-1), copper (0.21 to 1.84 mg kg- 1), manganese (1.08 to 5.38 mg kg^-1), iron (2.16 to 8.53 mg kg-1) and boron (0.16 to 0.81 mg kg-1) were deficient to sufficient. Soyabean land use system recorded highest soil organic carbon (SOC) both in surface (6.64 g kg-1) and sub-surface soil (5.92 g kg-1). The soils of soyabean land use system possessed higher macro and micronutrients as compared to other cultivated land use systems. The available macro and micronutrients were negatively and non- significantly correlated with pH and CaCO3. The organic carbon exhibited a significant and positive correlation with the availability of macro and micronutrients (N, P, K, S, Zn, Fe, Mn and B) in the soil, indicating that nutrient levels are high due to presence of organic carbon.