Distribution and Characterization of Sulphur fractions in Entisols, Inceptisols and Alfisols Soil Orders of India

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted to distribute and characterization of different Sulphur (S) fractions in selected soil orders of India. Soil samples were collected from cultivated fields in different states of India, covering West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. These states belong to the soil orders Entisols, Inceptisols, and Alfisols. A total of two hundred seventy composite soil samples were collected from ten locations of each order, representing three depths: 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, and 30-45 cm, with thrice replication. After analyzing the various sulfur fractions, the results showed that there was no distinct distribution of sulfur reported in the various locations. In Entisols soil order, non-sulphate sulfur contributes highest fraction with a mean of 2744.99 mg kg-1 while lowest contribution was found in available sulfur with a mean of 25.24 mg kg-1 of total S followed by organic sulfur (112.54 mg kg-1), adsorbed sulfur (97.79 mg kg-1). A similar pattern was observed in Inceptisols and Alfisols soil orders. Available S was positive and significantly correlated with organic Sulphur in Entisol and Inceptisol while negative correlated with remaining fraction of S. Based on the sulfur availability index, the dominant fraction of sulfur in all three soil orders was non-sulfate sulfur.