Climatic and Soil Site Suitability Evaluation for Grapes in Buldana District of Maharashtra Gabhane V.V., Ikhe U.D.*, Konde N.M., Sonune B.A. AICRP on Dryland Agriculture, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra *Email: ikhe.soil@gmail.com
Online published on 2 January, 2017. Abstract Grape cultivation is an emerging practice and gaining popularity in Buldana district of Maharashtra. These orchards are established in different soil types and therefore there is a wide gap in productivity of grapes. Hence, a field survey was undertaken from 2007–08 to 2009–10, to study the suitability of soils for commercial production of grapes in Buldana district of Maharashtra. Fifty grape orchards on different soil types along with ten typiphying pedons were selected based on morphological characteristics and categorized in various blocks of Buldana district. The soil samples were collected from these grape orchards along with profile samples from selected orchards and analyzed for their physico-chemical properties as per standard procedures. The orchards were studied for their climatic suitability, soil characteristics and yield potential. The results indicate that most of the soils were neutral to slightly alkaline in reaction, low to moderate in available nitrogen, medium to moderate in available phosphorus and high to very high in potassium. The soils have been classified as Typic Ustorthents (Entisols), Typic Haplustepts (Inceptisols) and Typic Haplusterts(Vertisols). Based on the soil site characteristics, it has been observed that the grape yield was positively correlated with increase in per cent organic carbon in soil, while it was negatively correlated with free calcium carbonate in the soil. The maximum yield potential of grapes (25.45 t ha−1) was noted in soils containing relatively more organic carbon and low tomoderate calcium carbonate. Climatic and soil site suitability evaluation for grapes indicated that Entisols are currently not suitable, Vertisols have marginal limitations and Inceptisols have moderate limitations for grape cultivation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Inceptisols having less than 10 per cent calcium carbonate are moderately suitable while Entisols and Vertisols are marginally suitable for grape cultivation in Buldana district of Maharashtra. Top Keywords Grape, soil site suitability evaluation. Top |