Spatial Variability of Soil Chemical Properties, Available Sulphur and Micronutrients Status of Soils in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra, India

Spatial variability in availability of secondary and micro nutrients in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtrawere studied using Global Positing System (GPS). Georeferenced surface soil samples from fourteen(14) tehsils were delineated using stratified random sampling method investigation was carried out at AllIndia Co-ordinated Research Project on Micro and Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soilsand Plant under Department of Soil Science, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola,Maharashtra to assess the chemical properties, available sulphur and micronutrients status in soils ofAhmednagar district in the year 2023-2024 of four hundred and sixty four (464) soil samples at thedepth of (0-20 cm) were collected across the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra at 5 kms grid werecollected and analysed in the laboratory. The results revealed that pH, EC, CaCO3 and OC of soilscollected across different tehsils of Ahmednagar district varied from 7.07 to 8.44, 0.10 to 0.97 dS m-1,1.50 to 21.63 % and 1.76 to 9.12 g kg-1 respectively. Whereas available S in soils ranged from 5.48 to47.36 mg Kg-1.The DTPA -Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn and B in soil of Ahmednagar district ranged from 0.28 to2.15 mg Kg-1, 0.53 to 40.57 mg Kg-1, 0.21 to 9.48 mg Kg-1 and 0.46 to 35.74 mg Kg-1 and 0.10 to 1.90mg Kg-1. respectively. The results obtained in present study clearly showed a large variability in physiochemical properties of soil across the Ahmednagar district with low nutrient indices were found inrespect to iron (1.65) and boron (1.64), medium for Sulphur (2.33) and zinc (1.83), high for copper(2.97) and manganese (2.71). This information could aid in decision making for application of plantnutrients and selection of cropping sequence for higher monetary returns to the farmers.