Influence of tree plantation on soil physico-chemical properties in arid region

Abstract

The effect of ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk), drumstick (Moringa olerifera Lam), karonda (Carissa congesta Wt.) and khejri (Prosopis cineraria L. Druce) on the physical and chemical properties of soil at different depths (0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm) were studied. The increase in the porosity and water holding capacity and decrease in the bulk density (of subsurface soils) in the sites under plantations were marginal, when compared to open sites. There was slight decrease in the pH of soil under vegetated area, whereas no appreciable change in EC was observed. There was an appreciable increase in the organic carbon (0.04 to 0.13%) and available nitrogen content (69 to 100 kg ha^-1) in the sites under vegetation. Fruit plants particularly ber and drumstick growing in the arid region indicated the process of deposition of bases such as Ca and Mg in the surface layers from lower strata. Overall results showed that exchangeable cations such as Ca, Mg, and Na and available P and K have depicted a poor potential activity in the maintenance offertility which is affected by the young nature of plantation. The increase/decrease of soil properties due to the influence of plantation was more in surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface (15-30 cm) than in the lowermost soil (30-45 and 45-60 cm) layers. Among the four different fruit plantations, ber recorded substantial improvement and maintenance in soil fertility followed by drumstick. The nutrient return through litter fall followed the order K > N > Ca in Z. mauritiana and M. olerifera and N > Ca > K, Ca > N > Kin C. congesta and P cineraria, respectively. The soils belong to the order Entisol and the calcareous pH is well adopted for the plantation of these fruit trees.