An experiment was conducted at Coconut Research Station in Konark, Odisha to assess the impact of hybrid coconut cultivation on the properties of littoral sandy soil of Odisha. The study was conducted during July 2020 to June 2022, following Randomized Block Design with 14 coconut germplasms including hybrids and tall high yielding varieties. Each treatment represents one sample and for each treatment soil samples were collected from two random palms from different depths in each replication. Results showed that pH of soil at 0-50cm ranged from 5.69-5.9 and 5.64-5.93 and from 5.61-5.84 and 5.72-6.06 at 50-100cm soil depth in the beginning and end of the study, respectively. The initial EC values at the 0-50cm depth were highest in soil collected from LCOT × COD, COD × WCT, LCOT, LCOT × GBGD and WCT × GBGD, while at the end of the experiment, the maximum EC was observed in soil collected from GBGD × ECT, LCOT and LCOT × GBGD i.e., 0.007 ds/m. At 50-100cm zone of soil the maximum EC in the beginning was observed in the soil collected from LCOT × COD, COD × WCT, LCOT × GBGD & WCT × GBGD, while the maximum EC at the end of experiment was observed in the soil collected from GBGD × PHOT, COD × WCT, MYD × ECT and WCT × GBGD i.e., 0.008 dS/m. Initial OC at 0-50cm depth ranged from 2.42 to 2.81 g/Kg and from 2.45 to 2.92 g/Kg at the end, while at the 50-100cm depth, soil collected from ECT × GBGD (1.93 g/Kg and 1.96 g/Kg) had the highest OC initially and also at the end. Available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium showed no significant differences in the 0-50cm and 50-100cm depth. Overall, hybrid coconut cultivation had minimal effects on soil properties, except for electrical conductivity, which varied significantly due to salt accumulation and poor water retention capacity of the littoral sandy soil.

Littoral sandy soil, hybrid coconuts, nutrient availability, electrical conductivity

The study demonstrates that hybrid coconut cultivation does not significantly influence soil properties in littoral sand environments. The cultivation of hybrid coconut palms resulted in significant variation in electrical conductivity and organic matter accumulation at 50-100cm depth. These findings have important implications for sustainable coconut cultivation and soil management practices. Proper utilization of these results can lead to improved productivity, enhanced soil fertility, and the long-term sustainability of coconut farming in coastal regions emphasizing the need for soil salinity management and adoption of appropriate farming practices to ensure long-term productivity and environmental sustainability.

Pradyot Kumar Nayak, S.C Sahoo, S.C. Swain, R.K. Nayak and M.K. Patel (2022). Effect of Hybrid Coconut Cultivation on properties of Littoral Sandy Soil of Odisha. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4a): 745-750.