In present time, salinity and alkalinity of the soils are serious problems in India as well as in Gujarat. These soils are usually supposed to be originated as a result of high water table, arid and semi-arid weather, ingress the sea, water, saline nature of barren materials, poor drainage and salt deposition through wind-blown particles. This poor quality of water decrease the soil productivity and finally reduce the crop yield. Looking to the importance of above views, an investigation was carried out to study the quality of underground wells/tube wells water and their effect on soil properties of Northern Saurashtra coastal region (Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka and Porbandar district) of Gujarat by collecting grid based 141 surface soil samples and each 285 irrigation water samples on pre and post monsoon from the farmer’s cultivated field during May, 2019 at the distance (0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-20 km) from coastal line. To study the fluctuation in water quality, only water samples were collected twice i.e. pre-monsoon (May, 2019) and post-monsoon (December, 2019). All the soil samples were analyzed for EC and pH from saturated and dilute (1:2.5) extract. The EC, pH were determined as per the methods described by Richards (1954). Saturation paste of soil was prepared as described by Richards (1954) and found that in salinity parameters, EC, ESP, SSP and SAR were decreased, while pH was slightly increased with increasing the distance from sea coast. The overall highly significant correlation of ECe with EC2.5 (r = 0.8012**) and pHs with pH2.5 (r = 0.4004**) were observed. The highly significant correlation coefficient between SOC and N (r = 0.7798**), ESP and ECe (r = 0.6531**), ESP and EC2.5 (r = 0.6050**) were observed in soil samples. The correlation among fertility parameters (SOC, available N, P2O5, K2O and S) and salinity/sodicity parameters (EC2.5, ECe, pH2.5 and pHs) in soils of 0 to 20 km distance from sea coast indicates that EC2.5 was significant and positively correlated with ECe, SSP, SAR and ESP and pH2.5 was significant and positively correlated with pHs, SOC, available N, K2O and S

EC, SOC, pH2.5, fertility and correlation.

Present study indicates that groundwater of study area is contaminated, so reclamation of water is essential to do before its use for agriculture production. Almost all well/ tube well water samples (Pre & Post monsoon) of Northern Saurashtra coastal region having higher amount of soluble salts mainly due to dominance of Na and Cl ions, however, all the quality parameters viz., EC, pH, SSP, RSC and ESP of collected well/tube well water samples after monsoon were improved as compared to the samples collected before monsoon

Kiran Yadav, K B Parmar and Bhorania Nirali (2022). Effect of Salinity/Sodicity on Soil Fertility Status of Northern Saurashtra Coastal Region of Gujarat. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(2): 600-606.