Soil Nutrient Status Under Different Agro-Climatic Zones of Kashmir and Ladakh, India

An investigations on nutrient analysis of soil under the different agro-climatic zones of Kashmir and Ladakh viz Temperate (Pattan, Baramulla), Sub temperate (Gurez, Bandipora) and Cold Arid (Kargil, Ladakh) was carried out during 2012 and 2013.The studies revealed that soils were alkaline in their reaction with slightly higher pH (8.2) recorded at Kargil followed by Pattan (7.9) and Gurez (7.6). Electrical conductivity was highest (0.23 dSm-1) at Pattan and least at Kargil (0.08 dSm-1). Pattan soils were richer in organic carbon with an average value of 1.02%. Varied results were obtained with respect to available soil nitrogen, the highest being recorded at Pattan with an average value of 372.8 kg ha-1 Gurez recorded 251.5 kg ha-1 and Kargil 184.9 kg ha-1. Pattan recorded maximum (22.45 kg ha-1) soil available phosphorus while the sulphur was recorded highest (53.40 kg ha-1) at Kargil. Among the three agro-climatic zones, (187.30 kg ha-1), exchangeable calcium (17.56 centimole) and exchangeable magnesium (5.54 centimole).