Variation in Soil Properties Across Tehsils and Elevation Gradients in Mirzapur District, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

The present study was undertaken with the objective to test whether the average soil characteristic contents (pH, EC, OC, N, P, K, S, Fe, Zn, Mn and B) in the soil are same for all four tehsils of Mirzapur district as well as for different elevation ranges. Soil is a key element of agriculture. Soil plays a major role in determining the sustainable productivity of an agro-ecosystem. Crop production is greatly influenced by the soil characteristics such as pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC), Nitrogen, Phosphorus and other nutrients. These characteristics are related to soil fertility and agricultural productivity of a particular place. The demand for increasing crop production requires a thorough knowledge of the soil properties that are regulated by soil nutrients. It is found that in both the cases average soil characteristics vary significantly among all tehsils as well as among all elevation ranges. It shows variability among the distribution of soil characteristics between all tehsils and elevation ranges.