Identification, Description and Taxonomical Classification of Major Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) Growing Soils of Southern Karnataka, India

摘要

Six typical pedons representing major cashew growing soils of Dakshina Kannada district of Southern Karnataka developed from granite-gneiss and uvium parent materials were studied for their morphological; physical and emical properties. The soils werestrongly to moderately acidic in reaction, non-ne, deep to very deep in depth and have iso-hyperthermic temperature and ustic moisture regimes. The soils were sandy clay loam to clay in texture, sub-angular tocky in structure, dark brown to red in colour, medium to high in organic carbon ntent and low cation exchange capacity and base saturation. The soils also had high amounts of coarse fragments and clay fractions. Among the exchangeable cations, calcium was found to be high in most soils, followed by magnesium, sodium and potassium. Among the DTPA extractable micronutrients, iron and manganese were sufficient in most soils, and available copper and zinc were deficient. The dry consistency varied from slightly hard to hard, moist consistency from loose to very friable/firm and wet consistency from slightly sticky/sticky to plastic. The exchangeable acidity was very high in all the pedons. The soil orders identified in the study areas were Ultisols and Inceptisols. Based on the characteristics, these cashew soils were classified as Ustic Haplohumults, Oxic Dystrustepts, Rhodic Kanhaplustults, Ustic Palehumults and Typic Paleustults.