Vol. 9, Special Issue 9, Part I (2025)

An investigation entitled "soil physical behaviour under different crops in PDKV model village Salaimendha, Nagpur district" was conducted during 2024-25 to evaluate the soil status in black soils. 24 soil samples (0-30 cm) from different crops were analyzed. This study evaluated the soil physical properties and fertility status of Salaimendha village under diverse cropping systems. The soils exhibited clayey texture with bulk density ranging from 1.20 to 1.34 Mg m^-3, water holding capacity between 44.27% - 54.92%. Saturated hydraulic conductivity values ranged from 0.70 to 0.82 cm hr^-1, mean weight diameter values ranged from 0.61 to 0.75 mm, field capacity of soil values ranged from 31.1 to 37.4% and permanent wilting point values ranged from 15.4 to 19.1%. The soil properties, namely pH, EC, OC and CaCO₃, in different crops varied from 7.05 to 8.1, 0.201 to 0.382 dS m^-1, 3.3 to 6.3 g kg^-1 and 3.2 to 5.1%, respectively. The available macronutrient status revealed low to medium nitrogen (192.64-396.48 kg ha^-1), very low to low phosphorus (9.15-15.09 kg ha^-1), high to very high potassium (304.0-481.6 kg ha^-1), and medium sulphur content (9.5-14.7 mg kg^-1). Soil suitability assessment indicated moderate suitability for cotton, slight suitability for pigeon pea, and marginal suitability for mandarin and sweet orange cultivation. The available moisture content varied between 25.26% and 35.99% across different crops. These findings provide valuable insights into soil nutrient management and suitability for various crops in Salaimendha village, enabling informed agricultural practices and decision-making.