Abstract

The Ananthapuramu district in Andhra Pradesh is predominantly characterized by dryland agriculture, primarily cultivating three key crops: groundnut, pigeon pea and cotton. This approach to farming often overlooks the land’s carrying capacity, which can result in soil degradation and a swift decline in soil fertility. The focus of soil fertility assessment and land management in this region is to analyze the soil resource database, identifying both biophysical constraints and opportunities to enhance agricultural productivity and soil health, particularly in the context of fluctuating rainfall patterns. This research employs an exploratory methodology, utilizing soil analytical data from the prevalent soil series. The weighted averages of each soil series were calculated, taking into account various pedogenic properties such as particle size distribution, pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon content, calcium carbonate levels, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable bases, base saturation, and soil depth. The soils in this area were typically featured clay-rich sub soils, particularly in granitic terrains, exhibiting slightly acidic to neutral pH levels, high cation exchange capacity, and gravelly profiles. However, these soils displayed poor structural stability and have low to moderate fertility indices, indicative of significant organic carbon depletion. The findings revealed a dichotomy in soil fertility across the research area, with some regions classified as high fertility and others as low. The latter included land units situated on steep slopes and lacking effective land management practices. Key limiting factors affecting soil fertility were texture, organic carbon content, cation exchange capacity, phosphorus, and total potassium levels. It is recommended that organic fertilizers can be applied to enhance the fertility of these farming areas.

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