Phosphorus and Potassium Fixation-Resurgence rates for diverse Land Uses of Temperate Himalayas

DOI: 10.22161/ijeab.114.30

Abstract:
The research was commenced to sought and evaluate the fixation and recovery rate dynamics of phosphorus and potassium across distinct land uses, shedding light on the relationship between these patterns. Soil samples were gathered at a depth of 0-15 cm from three land-use categories viz., Forest, Agriculture, and Horticulture, within the Ganderbal district of the temperate Himalayas. A total of 75 soil samples were collected from various locations for analysis. The results from different analysis revealed that the soils were slightly acidic to neutral in reaction and soil texture varied from silty clay loam to silt loam. The highest mean value of bulk density (1.44 g cm-3) was recorded in grapes and rice soils, highest mean value of particle density (2.54 g cm-3) was recorded in grapes soils and lowest (2.33 g cm-3) in forest soils. Porosity was observed highest (44.14%) in forest soil. No salinity hazards were observed as electrical conductivity values among studied land uses were less than 1 dSm-1. The soil organic carbon was found highest (1.66 %) in forest soils and lowest (1.06 %) in apple soils. The cation exchange capacity was observed highest mean value (15.47 Cmol (+) kg-1) in rice soils and lowest (14.27 Cmol (+) kg-1) in forest soils. The findings revealed noteworthy differences in phosphorus and potassium fixation and recovery rates among the land-use types. Phosphorus fixation rate was found to be highest in forest areas, reaching 66%, while the lowest fixation rate was observed in Apple orchards at 38%. Intriguingly, the recovery rate of phosphorus exhibited an inverse pattern, with the highest recovery observed in Apple orchards at 62%, and the lowest in Forest areas at 34%. Similarly, for potassium, Forest and orchards exhibited the highest fixation rate at 58%, contrasting with Maize, which had the lowest fixation rate at 46%. The recovery rate of potassium demonstrated a similar trend, with the highest recovery rate occurring in Maize at 62%, and the lowest in Forest orchards at 42%. These findings underscore the intricate interplay between land use and nutrient dynamics, providing valuable insights for sustainable land management practices in the Ganderbal district.

Keywords:
phosphorus, potassium, Fixation, Availability, Recovery.

Article Info:
Received: 05 Jul 2026; Received in revised form: 02 Aug 2026; Accepted: 10 Aug 2026; Available online: 17 Aug 2026

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