Vol. 1, Issue 2, Part A (2019)

A research was conducted on “Evaluation of physico-chemical and biological properties of soil as affected by different land use system of Wokha district of Nagaland” during 2019-2020 in the department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science. Total 60 surface soil samples (15cm) were collected from 15 different villages of the 5 blocks of Wokha district from forest, horticulture, rubber, paddy land use system. The pH of the soils were strong to moderate acidic in reaction and normal in total soluble salts concentration. CEC on an average ranged from 12.32 to 15.34 cmol (p+) kg-1, bulk density and particle density on an average ranged from 1.01to 1.09g cm-3and 2.38 to 2.54g cm-3while porosity ranged from 53.62 to 59.72%, Organic carbon for forest, horticulture, rubber paddy land use system ranged from 1.77 %, 1.54%,1.62%, 1.38% respectively. The nutrient index for nitrogen for the four land use system ranged from 1.46,2, 2.06,respectively, phosphorus ranged from1.53,1.8,2, potassium ranged from 1.93,2.06,2.66, sulphur ranged from1.33, 1.86, 2, among the four land use system, forestland showed the highest nutrient index while paddy showed the least. Exchangeable acidity on an average ranged from1.69 to 2.68 cmol (p+) kg-1.On an average sand, silt and clay for forest ranged from 29.82%, 34.71%, 35.45%, for horticulture 29.33%, 32.89%, 37.7%, for rubber 31.48%, 32.92%, 35.53%, for paddy 36.6%, 31.06%, 32.27%.Soil respiration biomass and Soil microbial biomass carbon on average ranged from 49.53 to 50.26 mg CO2/g soil/24 hours,150.97 to 269.94 µg/g. Available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur showed positive correlation with organic carbon while available phosphorus showed positive correlation with pH. Soil respiration biomass and soil microbial biomass carbon showed positive correlation with organic carbon. Soil respiration biomass showed negative correlation with EC.