PEDOGENIC CHARACTERIZATION AND LAND RESOURCE EVALUATION OF APPLE GROWING REGIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT IN TEMPERATE HIMALAYAS

Pedological characterization provides foundation for rational and efficient utilization of limited soil resource and potential suitability for sustainable production and precise management practices.For this purpose, twenty typical pedons representing major apple growing soils of district Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir were undertaken during reconnaissance soil survey in three established physiographic altitudes for morpho-genetic characterization and classification.The morphological properties were studied during in-situ description of the excavated profiles and the physio-chemical properties were determined in the laboratory following prescribed standard analytical procedures.Results revealed that soil properties in general fluctuated significantly at different elevations of the apple orchards studied.The elevation of pedons varied from 1678 to 2257 m above sea level (mts.amsl); exhibiting level (inland valley) to gentle slope and moderate to moderate steep sloping and lying mostly in the northern (N) or southern (S) aspect.The field and laboratory results observed that soils were moderately deep to very deep, light yellowish brown to dark brown, predominantly clay loam, silt loam /silt clay loam to loam texture; slightly acidic to moderately alkaline in reaction (5.96 to 6.78 in surface and 6.60 to 7.50 in sub-surface) soils with soil organic carbon (SOC) range from very low to very high (0.18 to 2.21%) for sub-surface to surface levels.The cation exchange capacity (CEC) was moderate (13.40 to 17.03 Cmolkg -1 ) dominated by exch.calcium (6.75 to 9.88) followed by magnesium (1.90 to 2.88), potassium (0.40 to.88) and sodium (0.05 to 0.17) (Cmolkg -1 ) with percentage base saturation (BS %) significantly high across all the pedons.On the basis of morphological and physico-chemical properties studied, the soils are classified into four major orders i.e., Inceptisols, Alfisols, Mollisols and Entisols according to the modern Soil Taxonomy.The land characterization based on severity of limitations is categorized into broadly three land capability classes (LCC) viz:-II, III and IV.All the pedons studied are suitable for crop production with appropriate management practices in combination with certain corrective measures for limitations.