Application of Fertility Capability Classification System

Journal of Recent Advances In Agriculture

Application of Fertility Capability Classification System in Rice Growing Soils of Damodar Command Area, West Bengal, India Bera R., Seal A., Das T. H., Sarkar D. and Chatterjee A. K.

J Recent Adv Agr 2014, 2(12): 330-337

Online version is available on: www.grjournals.com

BERA ET AL.

ISSN: 2322-1534

Original Article

Application of Fertility Capability Classification System in Rice Growing Soils of Damodar Command Area, West Bengal, India 1

Bera R., 1Seal A., 2Das T. H., 2Sarkar D. and 1Chatterjee A. K.

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Department of Soil Science, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan- 731236, West Bengal, India. National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Block-DK, Sector-II, Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700091, West Bengal, India.

Abstract The fertility capability classification (FCC) system was used to group the rice growing soils of Damodar command area (part), which offering similar kind of limitations towards proper soil management and land use planning. The soils of the command area were surveyed on 1: 50,000 scale and classified into 12 different taxonomic classes. These 12 soil series were grouped into seven FCC units, which indicated that soil individuals in a single FCC unit do not necessarily belong to the same taxonomic class. Nine soil series were loamy while the remaining three soil series were clayey type. Moisture regime (g/ g+), free CaCO3 (b), vertic properties (v), nutrient reserve (K) and potential Fe toxicity (i+) were the condition modifiers used. By formulating FCC units attempt was made to identify the specific problems and potentials of the study area towards the adoption of alternate land use options. Keywords: Damodar command area, fertility capability classification, soil series.

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Corresponding author: Department of Soil Science, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan- 731236, West Bengal, India. Received on: 5 Dec 2014 Revised on: 15 Dec 2014 Accepted on: 23 Dec 2014 Online Published on: 30 Dec 2014

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Introduction The evaluation of land potential is a major tool in soil survey interpretation and natural resource management (Sims, 1996; Sombrock and Heger, 1996). Soil survey interpretation and land evaluation precede land use planning as the soil resource data provide several information, which may facilitate in predicting the behaviour and suitability of soils towards different land uses viz. crop cultivation, plantation, forest or other usage (FAO, 1976; Sehgal, 1996). However, utility of the generated data can be significantly enhanced if the taxonomic units are grouped into management units, which can indicate the potential and constraints of an area in terms of its fertility (Prasad, 2000). The fertility capability classification (FCC) system is a technical soil classification system that focuses quantitatively on the physical and chemical properties of the soil that are important towards soil fertility management (Sanchez et al., 1982). Therefore, information on physical, chemical and fertility characteristics of soil shall enable the formulation of recommendations for improving specific soil constraints for proper soil management and land use planning (Minh et al., 2006). Hence, fertility capability classification (FCC) system of Damodar command area (part) was primary aimed towards generation of information on specific problems and potentials of the soils that can be utilized for the future development of alternate land use options. Material and Methods The study area lies between 23011′46″ to 23029′21″ N latitude and 87028′49″ to 8800′21″ E longitude in Vindyan plain of Barddhaman, West Bengal, India; covering an area of approximately 1,21,000 ha. Reconnaissance soil survey was conducted on 1: 50,000 scale using Survey of India Toposheets (No. 73M/7, 73M/11, 73M/12, 73M/15, 73M/16, 79A/3 and 79A/4) as base map, following the procedure outlined in Soil Survey Manual (Soil Survey Staff, 1951). The area belonged to hot moist sub-humid ecological sub region (15.1) (Velayutham et al., 1999) with mean annual air temperature of about 26.5 0C. The area received 331

about 1400 mm annual rainfall, the maximum amount i.e.107mm to 314mm being received during June to October. Rice is cultivated throughout the year. Depending upon the availability of irrigation water, three crops of rice viz. aus (summer), aman (monsoon) and boro (winter) are generally grown in a year covering about 85 percent of the gross cropped area. Physiography delineation was carried out using Survey of India Toposheets and False Colour Composite (satellite imagery), supplemented with field observations. Soil samples were collected horizon wise from each identified series for analysis. Soil series were identified on the basis of field observations and correlated and classified according to Soil Survey Staff (2006). Collected soil samples were air dried, sieved and their physical and chemical characteristics were analyzed as per standard procedure (Black, 1965). The fertility capability classification (FCC) classes were determined following the procedure outlined by Sanchez et al., (2003). The FCC unit lists the ‘type’ (texture of plough layer or surface 20 cm) at the highest category. The ‘substrara type, is the next lower category of the system followed by ‘condition modifiers’. The modifiers used are g (aquic soil moisture regime), g+ (prolonged waterlogging), b (free CaCO3 within 50 cm), v (vertic groups), k (soil mineralogy) and i+ (potential Fe toxicity). Results and Discussion Morphological Properties: Morphological characteristics of the soils are presented in table 1A and table 1B. The soils were very deep, poorly to excessively drained with wide variation in surface texture. The soils of the study area showed dominantly grey matrix of hue 10YR or yellower having value 3 to 7 and chroma 1 to 4. Colour of the surface horizon varied from light gray (10YR7/2) to dark brown (10YR4/3), becoming grayish with increase in soil depth. Usually common medium, prominent yellow (10YR4/4) to strong brown (7.5YR6/6) mottles were found in the subsurface horizon of all soil series, which might be attributed to slow or very slow permeability and reduction-oxidation cycle (Sahu et al., 2001). J. Recent. Adv. Agr., 2014, 2(12): 330-337

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Table 1A: Morphological characteristics of surface and subsurface horizons of the identified soil series following Soil Survey Manual, Soil Survey Staff, 1951). Soil Soil Mottle Horizon Depth (cm) Texture Structure Consistence Boundary colour colour Pedon 1 : Khamrp soil series (Fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic Aeric Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 14 cs 10YR4/3 l puddled vfr –so po Bw1 14 – 42 gs 10YR5/3 10YR5/6 cl m 2 sbk fr –ss ps Pedon 2 : Totpara soil series (Fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic Typic Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 20 cw 2.5Y5/4 sicl puddled vfr – so po Bw1 20 – 60 cw 5Y5/2 7.5YR4/4 sicl m 2 sbk fi - sp Pedon 3 : Karjana soil series (Fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic Typic Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 13 cw 10YR5/3 sil puddled vfr –so po Bw1 13 – 33 gw 2.5Y6/2 7.5YR4/4 sicl m 2 sbk vfr –so po Pedon 4 : Banpara soil series (Fine loamy, mixed, hyperthermic Typic Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 15 cs 5Y5/2 l puddled vfr - sopo Bw1 15 – 32 cs 5Y4/1 10YR5/8 cl m 1 sbk fr – ss ps Pedon 5 : Hangram soil series (Fine, mixed, hyperthermic Vertic Eutrudepts) Ap 0 – 11 cs 2.5Y4/4 c puddled vfi – vs vp A3 11 – 25 cs 2.5Y4/2 10YR5/6 c c 2 bk vfi – vs vp Pedon 6 : Sonagachi soil series (Fine, mixed, hyperthermic Aeric Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 12 cw 10YR5/3 c puddled fi - s p Bw1 12 – 35 gw 10YR6/3 7.5YR6/6 c m 2 sbk fi - vs vp

(described Porosity vf - m vf - m fi - m vfi - m fi - m vfi - m c-m fi - m f–m f–m f-c vf - f

Table 1B: Morphological characteristics of surface and subsurface horizons of the identified soil series (described following Soil Survey Manual, Soil Survey Staff, 1951). Soil Soil Mottle Horizon Depth (cm) Texture Structure Consistence Porosity Boundary colour colour Pedon 7 : Bhensul soil series ( Fine, mixed, hyperthermic Aeric Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 13 cw 10YR5/3 cl puddled fi – s p vf - f Bw1 13 – 42 gw 10YR 6/3 10YR4/4 sic m 2 sbk fi – s p vf - c Pedon 8 : Kharjuli soil series ( Fine, mixed, hyperthermic Vertic Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 11 cs 10YR7/2 cl puddled vfr – so po c-f Bw1 11 – 30 gw 10YR7/1 7.5YR5/8 cl c 2 sbk fr – ss ps f-c Pedon 9 : Hargram soil series ( Fine, mixed, hyperthermic Typic Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 13 cw 10YR5/3 cl puddled fr – ss ps f-f A12 13 – 33 gw 10YR6/3 7.5YR4/4 cl m 2 sbk fr – ss ps f-m Pedon 10 : Kasipur soil series ( Fine, mixed, hyperthermic Aeric Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 14 cw 10YR5/3 l puddled fr – so po vf - f Bw1 14 – 30 gw 10YR6/3 10YR7/6 l m 1 sbk vfi – so po vf - m Pedon 11 : Naopara soil series ( Fine, mixed, hyperthermic Aeric Endoaquepts) Ap 0 – 10 gw 10YR5/2 cl puddled fr – ss ps f-f Bw1 10 – 38 gs 10YR4/2 7.5YR5/6 sic m 2 sbk fi – s p vf - m Pedon 12 : Madhpur soil series ( Fine, mixed, hyperthermic Typic Epiaqualfs) Ap 0 - 14 cs 2.5Y6/2 cl puddled vfr – so po fi - m B1 14 – 38 gs 5Y5/2 10YR6/6 cl m 2 abk fr – ss ps fi - m

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Soils of the command area showed variation in textural class especially in the surface horizons as well as in the subsurface. Soils in surface and subsurface horizons of all the soil pedons were fine loamy to very fine and clay loam to clayey in texture. This might be attributed to difference in physiography, flooding, in- situ weathering and translocation of clay. The soils under study had in general puddled structure at the surface, which broke from course to moderate sub angular blocky structure in the subsurface horizons, except in Pedon 5, 8 and 12. Variation in grade, strength and shape of soil structure in surface horizon as compared to subsurface horizon was the result of mechanical breakdown caused by puddling and subsequent drying of soils due to prolonged paddy cultivation (Dey and Sehgal, 1997). Consistency of soil changed with variation in clay content, as also suggested by Thangasamy et al., (2005). The presence of fine pores was a characteristic feature of the soils having high clay content, which is further supported by the particle size distribution of the soils. Physico-Chemical Properties: Physical properties of the soils are presented in table 2. Particle size distribution of the soils revealed that clay, silt and sand content varied from 14.0 to 57.1, 9.0 to 56.8 and 7.5 to 76.2 percent respectively. In general, sub surface horizons exhibited higher clay content as compared to the surface horizons, which might be due to illuviation process occurring during soil development as also suggested by Tripathi et al., (2006). The bulk density of soils varied from 1.34 to 1.44 g cm-3 and increased with depth, which might be due to more compaction of finer particles in deeper layers caused by over-head weight of the surface soils as also suggested by Jewitt et al., (1979) and Ahuja et al., (1988). Water holding capacity of the soils increased with increase in clay content, which corroborated the findings of Das et al., (2005) who also worked with the soils of Damodar command area of Barddhaman, West Bengal. Soils were moderately acidic to slightly alkaline in reaction (as per the rating suggested by Sehgal, 1990), pH values ranging from 5.0 to 7.5. Surface soils showed slightly lower pH values in comparison to 333

subsurface soils, which might be due to huge dose of fertilizer application by the farmers. Similar observation was also noticed by Bhatta et al., (2005) while working on ‘Budhabadhiani Irrigation Project’, Orissa. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the surface soils were of low to medium status (according to the range suggested by Ilaco, 1985) and varied from 8.2 to 22.4 cmol (p+) kg-1. Relatively low CEC values might be due to the dominance of clay minerals with low CEC (Sarkar et al., 2002). Sum of the exchangeable bases (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+) varied from 4.5 to 27.4 cmol (p+)kg-1. Calcium was the dominant cation followed by magnesium, potassium and sodium. Base saturation of the surface soils varied from 56 to 78 percent and generally increased down the soil profile with few exceptions. Fertility Capability Classification of the Study Area: The fertility capability classification (FCC) system was primarily developed for interpreting soil taxonomy and additional soil attributes in a way that is directly relevant to plant growth Sanchez et al., (2003). In this respect FCC of Damodar command area mainly aimed towards assessment of the potentials of soils for different crop cultivation. The soil coding of 12 soil series identified in the study area is shown in table 4. The table facilitates systematic placement of the soils into seven FCC units, which clearly indicated that soil individuals in a single FCC unit do not necessarily belong to the same taxonomic class. Khamrp, Totpara, Karjana, Banpara, Kharjuli, Hargram, Kasipur, Naopara and Madhpur soil series were associated with loamy type (L) while Hangram, Sonagachi and Bhensul soil series showed clayey type (C). Khamrp, Totpara, Karjana, Banpara, Kharjuli, Hargram, Kasipur and Naopara soil series were associated with anaerobic conditions (g modifier) representative of aquic soil moisture regime (table 3); however, in Hangram, Sonagachi, Bhensul and Madhpur soil series prolonged waterlogging (> 200 days) prevailed (g+ modifier) during wet season as well as due to irrigation under wet season- winter season paddy cropping sequence.

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Table 2: Physicochemical properties of the soils of the surface and subsurface horizons of identified soil series. Soil Particle size Exchangeable bases Sum of Bulk % pedon distribution (%) pH cations Depth Max. CEC Horizon Density Pore 2+ 2+ + + (H O) (cm) WHC (%) Ca Mg Na K 2 (gcm-3) Space Sand Silt Clay Pedon 1 Ap 0 – 14 36.4 40.4 23.2 1.35 52.96 41.98 5.6 12.0 4.0 2.4 0.2 0.2 6.8 Bw1 14 – 42 29.5 36.3 34.2 1.39 51.41 45.59 6.7 15.9 6.0 4.6 0.4 0.2 11.2 Pedon 2 Ap 0 – 20 19.8 50.7 29.5 1.37 52.37 43.38 5.6 12.2 3.5 2.4 0.6 0.3 6.8 Bw1 20 – 60 18.1 47.8 34.1 1.39 50.97 45.94 6.0 14.2 7.0 4.0 0.7 0.4 12.1 Pedon 3 Ap 0 – 13 22.9 50.5 26.6 1.37 52.01 43.09 6.3 11.3 3.4 3.0 0.8 0.6 7.8 Bw1 13 – 33 18.2 53.1 28.7 1.37 51.61 44.14 7.5 16.1 4.1 5.3 1.5 0.7 11.6 Pedon 4 Ap 0 – 15 34.5 40.4 25.1 1.37 52.52 40.40 6.1 8.2 3.0 2.8 0.9 0.2 6.9 Bw1 15 – 32 27.2 42.8 30.0 1.39 51.05 45.40 6.7 16.0 8.0 4.0 1.0 0.4 13.4 Pedon 5 Ap 0 – 11 17.5 36.1 46.4 1.38 52.59 51.59 5.7 18.4 11.2 2.4 0.5 0.3 14.4 A3 11 – 25 17.4 34.2 48.4 1.39 52.01 52.56 6.4 21.6 13.6 3.9 0.7 0.4 18.6 Pedon 6 Ap 0 – 12 28.7 31.2 40.1 1.37 51.91 47.46 5.8 22.4 11.2 5.6 0.6 0.1 17.5 Bw1 12 – 35 26.1 30.3 43.6 1.39 51.16 49.55 6.2 24.6 13.0 7.2 0.7 0.2 20.1 Pedon 7 Ap 0 – 13 25.3 39.2 35.5 1.37 51.88 45.00 5.8 12.8 4.0 3.6 0.3 0.2 8.1 Bw1 13 – 42 15.4 42.5 42.1 1.39 50.87 48.39 6.5 15.8 6.0 4.8 0.2 0.3 11.3 Pedon 8 Ap 0 – 11 32.8 34.7 32.5 1.38 51.85 44.20 5.0 10.6 3.6 1.6 0.3 0.2 6.7 Bw1 11 – 30 22.7 42.7 34.6 1.39 52.11 45.67 6.5 14.7 6.0 3.6 0.7 0.3 10.6 Pedon 9 Ap 0 – 13 31.5 36.3 32.2 1.34 52.92 43.25 5.6 13.3 5.8 3.3 0.3 0.2 9.6 A12 13 – 33 34.6 32.8 32.6 1.39 51.63 43.45 6.2 14.2 6.7 3.5 0.3 0.2 10.7 Pedon 10 Ap 0 – 14 32.0 44.4 23.6 1.38 51.28 40.29 5.8 8.8 3.4 2.0 0.3 0.1 5.8 Bw1 14 – 30 29.7 42.7 27.6 1.40 50.99 41.91 6.3 11.2 4.4 3.0 0.3 0.2 7.9 Pedon 11 Ap 0 – 10 24.9 40.2 34.9 1.42 51.70 45.41 5.3 14.6 7.5 2.6 0.4 0.1 10.6 Bw1 10 – 38 19.1 39.1 41.8 1.43 50.80 47.15 6.5 17.9 11.5 3.9 0.5 0.1 16.0 Pedon 12 Ap 0 - 14 24.0 46.3 29.7 1.38 51.66 44.27 6.4 13.7 4.8 3.2 0.2 0.5 8.7 B1 14 – 38 27.7 38.6 33.7 1.41 50.64 45.22 6.9 15.0 6.4 4.0 0.7 0.1 11.2

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Base satur-ation (%) 57 70 56 85 69 72 68 84 78 86 78 86 63 72 63 72 72 75 66 71 72 89 64 75

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Table 3: Checklist showing type, substrata type and modifiers. Modifiers Substrata Soil series Type + type g g b v Khamrp L ✓ Totpara L ✓ Karjana L ✓ Banpara L ✓ Hangram C ✓ ✓ ✓ Sonagachi C ✓ Bhensul C ✓ Kharjuli L ✓ ✓ Hargram L ✓ Kasipur L ✓ Naopara L ✓ Madhpur L ✓

k ✓ ✓ ✓ -

i+ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Aggregate Lg Lg Lg Lg Cg+bvi+ Cg+ki+ Cg+i+ Lg Lg Lgk Lgk Lg+i+

L: loamy top soil; < 35 % clay but not loamy sand or sand, C: clayey top soil; > 35 % clay, g: aquic soil moisture regime, g+: prolonged waterlogging; soil saturated with water either naturally or by irrigation for >200 days/year, b: free CaCO3 within 50 cm, v: vertisols and vertic groups with cracking clays (vertic properties), K: Low nutrient capital reserves, i+: potential Fe toxicity if soils waterlogged for long time (g+).

Table 4: Fertility capability classification (FCC) of identified soil series of the study area. Area (ha) FCC Soil series Description (% of TGA) Khamrp, Totpara, Loamy topsoil having < 35% clay with aquic soil moisture 46215.51 Lg Karjana, Banpara, regime. (38.19) Hargram Loamy topsoil having < 35% clay, aquic soil moisture 6729.83 Lgv Kharjuli, regime, but showing properties of vertic group viz. 5 cm or (5.56) more wide crack upto a thickness of 30 cm. 28124.47 Loamy topsoil having < 35% clay, with aquic soil moisture Lgk Kasipur, Naopara (23.24) regime and exchangeable- K < 0.20 cmolc kg-1 soil. Loamy topsoil having < 35% clay, prolonged waterlogging (>200 days/year) - soil saturated with water during wet 5825.09 Lg+i+ Madhpur season as well as irrigation under wet season- winter (4.81) season paddy cropping sequence, along with potential of Fe- toxicity. Clayey topsoil having > 35% clay, prolonged waterlogging (>200 days/year) - soil saturated with water during wet 10094.75 Cg+i+ Bhensul season as well as irrigation under wet season- winter (8.34) season paddy cropping sequence, along with potential of Fe- toxicity. Clayey topsoil having > 35% clay, prolonged waterlogging (>200 days/year) - soil saturated with water during wet 4335.94 + + Cg ki Sonagachi season as well as irrigation under wet season- winter (3.58) season paddy cropping sequence, along with potential of Fe- toxicity and exchangeable- K < 0.20 cmolc kg-1 soil. + + Cg bvi Hangram 15789.32 Clayey topsoil having > 35% clay, prolonged waterlogging 335

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(13.05)

(>200 days/year) - soil saturated with water during wet season as well as irrigation under wet season- winter season paddy cropping sequence, along with potential of Fe- toxicity, swell shrink properties and free CaCO3 within 50 cm.

References These soils represented typical paddy soils in which an anaerobic crop cannot be grown without drainage. Khamrp, Totpara, Karjana, Banpara and Hargram soil series (38.19 % of TGA) were grouped into FCC unit Lg, characterized by loamy type and anaerobic conditions representative of aquic soil moisture regime while Kharjuli soil series (5.56 % of TGA) was further classified into FCC unit Lgv due to additional criterion of the presence of 5 cm or more wide cracks up to a thickness of 30 cm; a property commonly associated with vertic group. Kasipur and Naopara soil series (23.24 % of TGA) were classified into FCC unit Lgk due to k modifier, representative of low exchangeable- K while soils under Madhpur soil series (4.81 % of TGA) with the potential of Fe- toxicity (commonly associated with g+ modifier) (Sanchez et al., 2003) were grouped into FCC unit Lgi+. Soils representative of Sonagachi and Bhensul soil series were grouped into FCC unit Cg+ki+ and Cg+i+ respectively, due to common criteria of prolonged waterlogging (g+ modifier) with potential of Fetoxicity (i+ modifier), along with an additional criteria of low exchangeable- K (k modifier) in soils of Sonagachi soil series (3.58 % of TGA). The soils under Hangram soil series (13.05 % of TGA) were grouped under FCC unit Cg+bvi+ due to presence of free CaCO3 within 50 cm (b modifier) swell shrink properties (v modifier), potential of Fe toxicity (i+ modifier), along with criteria of prolonged waterlogging (g+ modifier). The study showed that fertility capability classification system is an important tool to evaluate the problems and potentials of taxonomically varied soils. The application of fertility capability classification system helps to generate basic data base for the development of alternate land use options that enables better soil management for optimum crop production. 336

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