Salinity and Fertility Status of Irrigated soils in District Nankana Sahib, Punjab Pakistan

Abstract

The soil is the basic medium for growth of plant as it supplies essential nutrients and water required for plant processes. The productivity of crop is highly dependent upon fertility and salinity of soil. Current study was carried out to explore and analyze the soils of Tehsil Nankana Sahib (Nankana, Shahkot, Sangilla) for its salinity, sodicity and fertility status at union council level from 2018-2021. A total 2030 soil samples were collected from three Tehsils of District Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan. The results indicated that the soil salinity status about 33.9% (690 samples) soils were non-saline, 23.6% (480 samples) saline sodic, 28.5% (580 samples) sodic and only 13.8% (280 samples) were saline. Maximum problematic soil was found in tehsil Nankana Sahib while minimum in Sangilla. As for the soil fertility status of District Nankana Sahib is concerned, 60.1% soils were poor in organic matter (OM) that was observed in 1220 samples, and 39.1% medium range organic matter was observed from the 794 samples while 7.8% from the only 160 samples that were approaching the adequate range. The available phosphorus in soils was found poor among 26.1% (530 samples), 56.1% medium (1140 samples) and the adequate range of available phosphorus was 17.7% (360 samples).