Physico-chemical analysis of soils for the better yield of sugarcane and rice using Heber soil quality index

ABSTRACT Soil quality plays an important role in the assessment of sustainable land-use systems. Assessment of soil quality will always help farmers to apply correct fertilisers in correct proportions to their soil. This will definitely help them achieve maximum yield with minimum expenditure. Not only that, they can conserve their environment. Assessment tools for indexing soil quality at various scales were pursued to show the multiple functions that soils provide as the foundation for sustainable land management. Newly developed soil quality index called Heber soil quality index (HSQI) is widely used to identify and differentiate the various types of soils. In the current investigation, the soil samples were taken in the rice and sugarcane fields from, at least fifteen places of the Thiruvarur district (9.28° N, 79.3 °E) and were categorised as excellent, good or bad for cultivation of the rice and sugarcane on the basis values of Heber soil quality index (HSQI). The HSQI values of all samples ranged from 73.34 to 81.04, which reveals that the quality of soils studied in this investigation is good for the cultivation of rice and sugarcane. The index was found to be time saving and cost effective method of assessing the fertile nature of the soil for the effective cultivation of rice and sugarcane. Soil quality assessment in the light of HSQI is intended to provide a better understanding of the soil resources measures to be taken, to improve the quality of soil system for the better yield of any crop in general and rice and sugarcane in particular processes.