Total elemental composition of soil primary particles in vertisols of northern Karnataka

D. S. CHARISHMA; V. B. KULIGOD; S. S. GUNDLUR

D. S. CHARISHMA Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Dharwad University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, India
V. B. KULIGOD Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Dharwad University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, India
S. S. GUNDLUR Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Dharwad University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, India

Keywords: Clay, Elemental composition, Sand, Silt

Abstract

A study on total elemental composition of soil primary particles in Belavadi micro-watershed of Belagavi district, Karnataka was conducted during 2022-23. Horizon-wise soil samples were collected and analysed for major and trace elemental content in sand, silt and clay. Vertisol pedons 1 and 2 revealed the various patterns in elemental composition across horizons and soil fractions. In the uppermost (Ap) horizon, the sand fraction contained relatively higher concentrations of Si, Al, Fe and K, while significant amounts of Si, Al and Fe were also present in the silt and clay fractions. However, as soil depth increased (Bss1, Bss2 and Bss3) there was an overall decrease in the total concentration of these major elements. The sand fraction exhibited higher content of Mn, Cu and V. With increasing depth, the concentrations of trace elements did not follow any pattern.