Inter correlation between soil properties and growth of Azadirachta indica in various types of plantations of Jodhpur region (Rajasthan, India)

Abstract

Physico-chemical properties do not vary rapidly for short distance in arid and semiarid regions in absence of plantation or some manual intervention. In case of barren land, it is difficult to enhance soil health and its productivity until and unless a large quantity of fertilizer and irrigation facilities are employed. Application of high dose of fertilisers and insecticides result in short-term increase in production, but it deteriorates the quality of soil and eventually reduces its productivity. There are hundreds of instances where trees improved the soil productivity. Microbial communities in soil have large impact on overall soil health due to production of secondary metabolites, nutrient recycling and decomposition. Various researches have demonstrated that Azadirachta indica extract also acts as an antimicrobial agent and affects the structure and function soil microbial community. Therefore, it was critical to examine how its extract from different types of plantations becomes necessary to fully appreciate ramifications of its use on the environment for improving soil fertility. For the study, soil samples were collected from 53 different sites, in and around Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, where A. indica was growing in different types of plantations. The data was analyzed for different properties of soil for separate types of plantations.