Evaluation of Soil Properties in Melia composita Willd Plantation in Punjab, India

摘要

Soil physic-chemical properties and some quantitativecharacteristics of Melia composita Wild plantations andrelationships between them were evaluated in Handesra, Mohali anBhera Village, Hoshiyarpur plain of Punjab. Two same aged Meliaplantations with low and high qualities were selected. In each Meliaplantation, fourteen sample of soil at both sites with systematicsampling method were selected. Soil samples were taken from 0-30cm in each samples and pH, Organic Carbon (O.C), AvailableNitrogen (N), available Phosphorus (P) and exchangeable potassium(K) were determined for each soil sample in laboratory. The resultsshowed that among soil properties, organic carbon (O.C), availablenitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P) and exchangeable potassium(K) were significantly different between two plantations. Themaximum organic carbon (2.89%), available nitrogen (0.037 %),available phosphorus (0.0011%) and exchangeable potassium(0.027%) were observed at Handesra, Mohali and minimum organiccarbon (1.69%), available nitrogen (0.027 %), available phosphorus(0.00068%) and exchangeable potassium (0.021%) were observed atBhera Village, Hoshiyarpur. The results also indicated that poorquality plantations has negative effect on soil nutrient and reduces itsfertility. Reduction of nutrient availability had negative effects onquantity and quality of Melia trees.