Assessing Variability of Silicon in Relation to Soil Texture using Box Plot in Rice Growing Soils of Jammu Plains

Author: Seema Pooniyan, Sarabdeep Kour, Tushar, Meenakshi Gupta and Rameshwar Gora

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Abstract

Rice is among the most important food and grain crop in India but it suffers from many insect and pest infestations. Silicon (Si) is beneficial element for silicophilic plant species viz., rice and sugarcane. Rice takes more Si compared to any other primary nutrients from soil. The content of silica in plants is equivalent to or sometimes more than the major nutrients i.e. N, P and K supplied through fertilizers. However, there are differences in the parent materials which affect the mineral composition and particle size distribution of the soils which in turn effect the available Si content. In the present study, we investigated the variability between the amount of available Si in rice growing soils of three different districts of Jammu plains with respect to particle size distribution or soil texture. This analysis of the variability of silicon is important for assessing crop production under different soil textural classes. The study aimed to investigate the variability of silicon using a box plot. A total of 140 surface (0-15 cm) soil samples, collected from three different districts from rice-growing soils of Jammu plains were taken for investigation. The region had an interquartile range (IQR) of Si-1, Si-2 and Si-3, which is 173.78 (g kg-1), 241.80 (g kg-1) and 287.33 (g kg-1), respectively. The maximum variability distribution of silicon was found in sandy clay loam soil followed by sandy loam soils and the lowest distribution was observed in sandy clay texture under all the three extractants. The kurtosis distribution of available Si-1 was found to be positive and that of Si-2 and Si-3 was found to be negative. The skewness distribution in Si-1, Si-2 and Si-3 was found to be positive. But the kurtosis distribution of Si-1 of soil is positive (0.07) and negative kurtosis distribution was found (-0.48 and -0.57) for Si-2 and Si-3 of soil, respectively. The evaluation of silicon (available) distribution in Jammu, this can lead to make advanced plans for making better package and practices for Jammu valley area.

Keywords

Silicon, rice, soil texture, variability, Jammu plains

Conclusion

The distribution of available Si content was related to soil texture in rice growing soils of Jammu plains and maximum distribution was noticed in sandy clay loam soil for all the three extractants followed by sandy loam soils and minimum distribution was seen under sandy clay texture. Negative correlation was found between the amounts of the coarse-sand fraction and the amounts of available Si extracted with three extractants in the soil using whole soil samples whereas silt and clay fraction of soil showed positive correlation with Si-1, Si-2 and Si-3 content of soil.

References

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How to cite this article

Seema Pooniyan, Sarabdeep Kour, Tushar, Meenakshi Gupta and Rameshwar Gora (2023). Assessing Variability of Silicon in Relation to Soil Texture using Box Plot in Rice Growing Soils of Jammu Plains. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(10): 143-147.