Study on topsoil chemical characteristics in Bao Thang district, Lao Cai province for agricultural development

Researching some chemical characteristics of topsoil in Bao Thang district, Lao Cai province to serve the management, planning, and reasonable use of agricultural land resources is very necessary, especially for identifying areas for growing specialty crops to convert crop purposes and improving local people’s lives. Result analysis of pHsoil, organic carbon (OC), organic matter (OM), major elements and trace elements from 49 topsoil samples taken at depths from 0÷20 cm on different formations in Bao Thang district, Lao Cai province shows that topsoil in Bao Thang district has pH in the slightly acidic to neutral soil group, OM and OC in moderate concentrations. The chemical composition of soil samples shows a relationship with bedrock. The geochemical characteristics of topsoils are high Fe2O3, poor to rich K2O and rich P2O5. Some trace elements in the topsoil of different fomations have lower or equivalent concentrations with those in the world’s soil and are consistent with the safety threshold of National technical regulation on soil quality (QCVN 03:2023/BTNMT), except Cr and Zn. This issue needs to be paid attention to during cultivation and agricultural production.