Assessment of Soil Micronutrient Variability and Its Impact on Crop Productivity in District Jhelum, Pakistan
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31580/dnfyvy50Keywords:
Crop production, Jhelum, Micronutrients, Pakistan, Punjab, SoilAbstract
Micronutrient deficiencies are a major constraint to sustainable crop production in arid and semi-arid regions of Pakistan. This study aimed to assess the spatial variability and deficiency status of key soil micronutrients in District Jhelum. To test the hypothesis, a total of 823 soil samples were collected from different locations in District Jhelum. Soil samples were collected from two depths (0-15 & 15-30 cm) from different locations. These collected soil samples were analyzed for micronutrients including Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn & B following the standard analytical procedures at the Soil and Water Testing Laboratory, Jhelum & Rawalpindi. The results of the study revealed that mainly the soils of Jhelum were categorized as deficient, predominantly in Fe and B. We observed that Zn ranged from 0.2 mg kg⁻¹ in Tehsils Sohawa and P.D. Khan to 1.92 mg kg⁻¹ in Tehsil Dina. Cu was found adequate in more than 50% of samples. Among analyzed samples, 74% of the soil samples were classified as deficient in Fe. Similarly, 90% of soil samples were categorized as having low Mn levels. The frequency distribution of boron (B) in soils of District Jhelum indicated that approximately 83% of the samples contained less than 0.5 mg kg⁻¹ B, thereby classifying these soils as boron-deficient, with concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.99 mg kg⁻¹. Most agricultural soils in Pakistan are naturally alkaline, limiting the bioavailability. The results provide baseline data for site-specific nutrient management and fertilizer recommendations to improve soil health, enhance nutrient uptake, and support sustainable agricultural productivity.
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