This document summarizes a study on mapping soil macronutrients in healthy and diseased date palm orchards in Taluka Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan. Soil samples were taken from 21 orchards and analyzed for texture, electrical conductivity, pH, organic matter, lime content, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Results found generally lower levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in soils of both healthy and diseased orchards. Correlation analysis found organic matter was significantly correlated with phosphorus and potassium in healthy soils, but no significant correlations in diseased soils. The study concluded date palm orchard soils were generally deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus and recommended further studies with more sampling sites.

1. ‫الرحيم‬ ‫الرحمان‬ ‫هللا‬ ‫بسم‬

2. SOIL MACRONUTRIENT MAPPING OF HEALTHY AND
DISEASED DATE PALM ORCHARDS OF TALUKA KHAIRPUR,
SINDH USING RMAPS® AND GOOGLE EARTH®
MOHSIN JABBAR
2K12-SS-96

3. INTRODUCTION

4.  The date palm (phoenix dactylifera l.) is one of the tropical fruit crop belongs
to the family arecaceae.
 There are almost 100 million date palms in world, atleast 30 countries producing
dates across the world.
 Iraq is leading with 22 million palms, Pakistan is on fourth position to its
contribution (10.3%) of the total world date production (FAOSTAT, 2015). In
Sindh, District Khairpur is on the top position having 86% of date production.
Taluka khairpur is the major date palm growing area of District Khairpur (CRC,
2015).
 The date fruit is nutritionally a good source of potassium, iron and vitamins
(Carpenter and Elmer, 1978).

5.  In the month of march/ april fertilizer should be applied. adult tree should be
fed, 100 g phosphorus, 600 g nitrogen and 700 g potash per year. p and k
application depend upon the soil condition (Jawanda et al., 1972).
 Dates are exported to too many countries and a good source of national Income.
Aseel is the main variety.
 Spraying macronutrients is important role in fruit set and development and cause
efficient yield and quality improvement (Singh and Ram 1983).

6. OBJECTIVES
 Soil macronutrient (NPK) fertility mapping of date palm growing orchards of
taluka Khairpur
 Determine the relationship of soil macronutrients (NPK) with some soil
physicochemical properties of date palm orchards of taluka Khairpur

7. MATERIALAND METHODS
 SOILSAMPLING: This study was involved the major date palm
growing orchards of eight union councils of taluka Khairpur, i.e. Garhi Morri,
Khanpur, Nizamani, Shadi Shaheed, Mehar Ali, Therhi, Machioon, and
TandoMasti
 Soil sampling was done separately from both the healthy and diseased (where
available)
 The sampling depth was about 0-20 cm, as suggested by Ryan et al. (2001).
 RECORDING OF COORDINATES: Coordinates for various sites were
recorded with the RMaps® software, installed on anAndroid system.

8.  SOILANALYSIS: Texture, EC, pH, organic matter, CaCO3,
ABDTPA-extractable P and K. Nitrogen in the soils were calculated from
their organic matter content.
 DEVELOPMENT OF MAPS & DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS:
Minimum, Maximum, Mean Standard Deviation was performed through
spreadsheet software MS-Excel® (Microsoft, 2010). The correlation analysis was
done using Statistix ver. 8.1. Maps were developed by using Google earth®,
utilizing the coordinates recorded through RMaps® software. Moreover, the
graphic design software, CorelDRAW®

9. Coordinates of date palm orchards where from Healthy (H)
and Diseased (D) soil samples were taken
No. Village Union Council Latitude Longitude
1 Shah Ladhani (H) 27o
38’3.0" 68o
47’29.0"
2 Shah Ladhani (D) 27
o
38’34.0" 68
o
45’43.0"
3 Alipur Kacho (H) 27o
39’33.71” 68o
46’31.73”
4 Alipur Kacho (D) 27o
39’33.48” 68o
46’34.03’
5 Alipur Kacho (H) 27
o
39’14.26” 68
o
46’29.99”
6 Alipur Kacho (D) 27o
39’14.48” 68o
46’31.35”
7 Pahore Goth (H) 27
o
29’14.0" 68
o
46’43.46”
8 Pahore Goth (D) 27o29’14.0" 68o
46’43.0"
9 Therhi (D) 27o
36’22.82” 68o
47’12.89”
10 Therhi (H) 27
o
36’22.43” 68
o
47’12.37”
11 KaramAbad (H) 27o
36’21.67” 68o
47’13.21”
12 Babur-loe (H) 27
o
36’20.58” 68
o
47’13.57”
13 Mehar Ali (H) 27o
32’11.0" 68o
43’47.0"
14 Mehar Ali (D) 27o
32’09.29” 68o
41’45.38
15 Attari (H) 27
o
31’47.0" 68
o
45’29.0"
16 Attari (H) 27o
37’49.0" 68o
45’31.0"
17 Mitho Marri (D) 27
o
37’69.0" 68
o
47’49.0"
18 Khanpur (D) 27o
31’05.36” 68o
42’16”49”
19 Khanpur (H) 27o
30’34.21” 68o
42’44.08”
20 Jhalogi (H) Machioon 27
o
34’18.85” 68
o
41’37.27”
21 TandoMasti Khan (H) Tando Masti 27o
26’19.93” 68o
38’09.61”
Garhi Mori
Shadi Shaheed
Therhi
Mehar Ali
Nizamani
Khanpur

10. Map of taluka Khairpur showing sampling sites
selected from diseased and healthy date palm orchards

11. RESULTS

12. Texture

14. Electrical conductivity

16. pH

18. Lime Content

20. Organic Matter

22. Nitrogen

23. AB-DTPA Potassium

24. AB-DTPA Phosphorous

25. Comparative analysis of healthy and diseased soil
Property Healthy Diseased % ↓ or ↑
EC 2.06 2.24 8.7
pH 7.72 7.98 3.4
OM 0.91 0.88 -3.3
CaCO3 12.01 13.75 14.5
N 0.05 0.05 0.0
P 3.83 4.81 25.7
K 265.38 251.25 -5.3

26. Correlation of Variance of healthy samples
Sand -0.42 NS -0.33 NS -0.22 NS
Silt 0.17 NS 0.17 NS 0.08 NS
Clay 0.45 NS 0.41 NS 0.42 NS
EC 0.01 NS 0.54 NS 0.51 NS
pH -0.26 NS -0.58 * -0.5 NS
OM 0.92 *** 0.46 NS -0.07 NS
Lime 0.3 NS 0.45 NS 0.45 NS
N 0.56 * 0 NS
P 0.56 *
N P K

27. Correlation of Variance of diseased samples
Sand -0.48 NS -0.04 NS -0.46 NS
Silt 0.37 NS 0.09 NS 0.5 NS
Clay 0.47 NS 0.01 NS 0.38 NS
EC 0.55 NS 0.63 NS 0.24 NS
pH 0.35 NS 0.35 NS 0 NS
OM 0.79 * -0.42 NS 0 NS
Lime 0.47 NS 0.2 NS 0.13 NS
N -0.08 NS 0.25 NS
P 0.13 NS
N P K

28. CONCLUSION &
RECOMMENDATIONS
Date palm orchard soils were found deficient in their nitrogen and phosphorous
and organic matter content
Various soil parameters under study were not found related with the diseased or
healthy status of date palm orchards
Future studies should involve more number of date palm orchards to have more
clear picture of the problem

35. THANK YOU