EVALUATION OF SALINITY AND FERTILITY STATUS OF SOILS OF TEHSIL AHMADPUR SIAL DISTRICT JHANG, PUNJAB (PAKISTAN)

A five years study was conducted to evaluate the salinity/sodicity status of Ahmadpur Sial. About 2898 soil samples were taken and analyzed for salinity, sodicity, soil texture, organic matter and available phosphorus. The results showed that 53.55% soils samples were normal, 39.65% saline sodic to sodic and 6.80% were saline. The maximum problem soils were observed in Pir Abdul Rehman, while minimum in Bangla Yasmeen. The fertility status indicated that about 61.9 % soils of Ahmadpur Sial were poor in organic matter, 31.1% were medium, while, 7.01% were in adequate range. The maximum soils of Ranjeet Kot were poor in organic matter. Maximum soils (66.84%) of Ahmadpur Sial were poor in phosphorus, about 33.16 % were medium and 0.00% adequate. Amongst union councils, the maximum soils (77.3%) were found deficient in available phosphorus in Ranjeet Kot. About 6.76% soils were sandy loam, 85.92% were loam and 7.32% soils were clayey. In UC Jaiwan, maximum soils were of light texture and in UC Pir Abdul Rehman, most of the soils were clayey. Overall, most of the area of tehsil Ahmadpur Sial was loam which can be managed for production maximization.