Assessment of Soil Fertility and Crop Suitability of Profiles in Ambach Village, Navsari District, Gujarat

A study assessed the major nutrients, chemical and physical properties of soils in Ambach village, Chikhli taluka, Navsari district, Gujarat, using five profiles from which 26 soil samples were collected up to 100 cm deep. Ambach village lies between 20°73’50” to 20°70’88” North latitude and 73°20’66” to 73°23’71” East longitude, covering a geographical area of 606.06 ha. Soil colors ranged from dark brown (10YR 3/3) to yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and dark greyish brown (10YR 4/2) to light yellowish brown (10YR 6/4). Drainage varied from moderately to excessively drained, with textures from silty loam to heavy clay. Most pedons had medium sub-angular blocky structures, with bulk density between 1.25 g cc⁻¹ and 1.72 g cc⁻¹ (mean 1.46 g cc⁻¹) and particle density ranging from 2.09 g cc⁻¹ (PN 1) to 2.58 g cc⁻¹ (PN 4, mean 2.37 g cc⁻¹). Available moisture content was 3.23% to 16.57% (mean 10.57%), while hydraulic conductivity varied from 0.06 cm hr⁻¹ (PN 2) to 8.04 cm hr⁻¹ (PN 4). Soil pH ranged from 6.56 (PN 5) to 8.34 (PN 4), and electrical conductivity (EC1:2.5) was 0.08 dS m⁻¹ (PN 2) to 0.50 dS m⁻¹ (PN 5). The exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) varied from 0.61 to 1.32 (mean 1.01), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) ranged from 39.86 to 52.49 cmol(p+) kg⁻¹, with base saturation between 82.95% and 97.95% (mean 92.31%). Organic carbon levels ranged from 0.1% (PN 4) to 0.5% (PN 1, PN 2, PN 3). Nitrogen levels varied from 40.1 kg ha⁻¹ (PN 4) to 225.2 kg ha⁻¹ (PN 3, mean 141.0 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus from 6.6 kg ha⁻¹ (PN 4) to 105.4 kg ha⁻¹ (PN 3), and potassium from 227.6 kg ha⁻¹ (PN 4) to 527.2 kg ha⁻¹ (PN 3). Available iron was high except in PN 4, zinc was medium in PN 1 and PN 2, high in PN 3 and PN 5, and low in PN 4, while all pedons showed high levels of available copper. The crop suitability evaluation in the study area indicates that kharif rice is moderately to marginally suitable across different profiles, with profiles 1, 2, 3, and 5 being moderately suitable (S2) and profile 4 being marginally suitable (S3). Sugarcane shows high suitability in profiles 1, 3, and 4 (S1), and moderate suitability in profiles 2 and 5 (S2). Sorghum is highly suitable (S1) across all profiles, while pearl millet is moderately suitable (S2) in profiles 1, 2, 3, and 5, and highly suitable (S1) in profile 4. For mango cultivation, profiles 1, 2, and 4 are moderately suitable (S2), whereas profiles 3 and 5 are highly suitable (S1).