Changes in Physicochemical Parameters of Soil Along the Villages in Pendhurti Block of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh

Soil represents a critical element of plant existence, ranking prominently among the five essential elements. When soil quality declines, it adversely impacts crop productivity. In the present research, the emphasis was placed on conducting a physicochemical analysis of soils in various villages within the Pendhurti block of Visakhapatnam district. In this research, 30 samples of soil were gathered haphazardly from 0 to 15 cm depth across 15 distinct villages.The soil samples gathered underwent analysis in a laboratory to assess their physicochemical parameters. The results revealed that the soil pH exhibited a neutral to slightly alkaline reaction i.e. 6.9 to 8.2 and EC 0.076 to 0.381. The organic-C content was found to be low i.e. (0.12 to 0.59). The Particle density and bulk density were observed to be 2.05 to 2.8 Mg m-3 and 1.33 to 1.57 Mg m-3. The available N in soil was found lowi.e.75.26 to 137.98 kg ha-1, medium to low for K (78.4 to 389.40), and high for P i.e. (22.38 to 151.98 kg ha-1). The available Ca and Mg were recorded to be adequate and S was low to medium (0.21 to 19.6 mg kg-1) and nutrient index values for N, S, Organic-C found to be low, medium for K and high for P. The available micronutrients were reported sufficient (Cu, Zn) to high (Fe, Mn).This analysis emphasizes the need for a greater emphasis on improving soil quality using enhanced practices such as integrated nutrient management and crop rotations, rather than depending solely on monoculture farming.