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Agricultural Potential Assessment of Some Wetland Soils of Brahmanbaria District, Bangladesh

A. S. M. Nizamuddin
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

M. J. Uddin
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

A. S. M. Mohiuddin
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

M. A. Zaman
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An investigation was conducted to study the wetland soils of Brahmanbaria District of Bangladesh with a view to evaluating the agricultural potentiality and their management options. The soils were nutritionally very productive. Soil textural condition is very much appropriate for rice production in these soils. The contents of nitrogen and boron are low. Probably, the denitrification process leads to the loss of nitrogen in this basin soils; other nutrients seems to be a balanced condition for the successful growth of deep water rice. Boro and deep water T. Aman were introduced in the study area at present. Availability of irrigation water in the dry periods and shallow inundation level in the monsoon may be the main cause of such cropping pattern. It is believed that the soils of this area became enriched by siltation during flooding. HYV Boro rice got preference over broadcast Aman and aus as a major rice crops in the area. Due to the changes in land use, demand for nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer has increased. There are no considerable changes in organic carbon content and the pH value stands near neutral which indicates the agricultural viability of the studied soils. The present investigations ascertained that the study area including the wetland of Bangladesh can be economically exploited through appropriate nutrient management without any extra agro-chemical use.

Keywords: Wetland soil, Agricultural potential, Brahmabaria

Location: Brahmanbaria District, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Land management, Soil fertility

Objectives:

Objective of the study was to evaluating the agricultural potential of the area with particular emphasis on the soil fertility status and suggesting probable soil management options.

Methodology:

The study area is located in the wetland basin area of Brahmanbaria District of Bangladesh under the Surma-Kusiyara alluvium. There are four soil series have been studied to evaluate its agricultural potentialities. The soil series identified and studied were Balanganj, Phagu, Nasirnagar and Nabinagar. GPS have been used to locate the geographical position of the soil samples. Balaganj series is located at 24°06' N to 91⁰00' E in the medium highland phase. It is seasonally shallowly flooded, poorly drained soils developed in mixed textured alluvium occupying in the gently sloping ridges. They have mixed grey and dark brown, friable, silt loam to loam subsoil with strong to moderate subangular blocky structure and patchy to continuous grey cutans on ped faces. Phagu series is located at 24°05' N to 91°08' E in the slope of basin. It is poorly drained, seasonally deeply flooded soils developed in the basins and basin margins of Surrna-Kusiyara floodplain. They have a grey to dark grey, clay sub soil usually with strong prismatic and angular blocky structure and continuous grey or dark grey cutans along the ped faces. Nasirnagar series is located at 24⁰05' to 91°06' E in the nearly level basin sites. It comprises seasonally very deeply flooded, very poorly drained, moderately fine textured soils developed in the Titas valley of the Sylhet basin, They have a dark grey to very dark grey, mottled brown, silty clay loam sub soil. Nabinagar series is located at 24°07' N to 91°08' E in the basin depressions. It comprises seasonally very deeply flooded, very poorly drained soils developed in fine textured alluvium on the Titas valley of the Sylhet basins. They have a very dark grey, silty clay to clay. A horizon with common brown mottles overlying a silt loam to silty clay loam oxidized substratum. The area under study forms a part of the 'Bengal basin' filled with quaternary sediments (Morgan and McIntire, 1959). The materials of the surface area are of recent to sub-recent age. According to an estimate of Brammer (1968), the age of these soils may be around 200 years. The lithology of the recent and sub recent illuvia dominated by silt and clay size particles (Brammer, 1971). Soil samples were collected and air dried, grinded and screened through sieve. The samples were analysed for pH, organic matter, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn. The extraction procedure and interpretation of soil samples were made as Agro-Services International methodology and pH (H₂0) of soils was determined at a soil-water ratio 1:2.5 using a pye pH meter. The organic carbon content of soils was determined volumetrically by wet oxidation method as described. The total nitrogen in soils was determined by Kjeldahl's method as described by Jackson (1996). Available phosphorous was determined by Olsen method (Jackson, 1962). Ammonium acetate extract was prepared and the exchangeable Ca, Mg, K were determined from the extracts (Black, 1965). Available sulphur was determined by a spectrophotometer after developing turbidity with barium chloride. Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn were extracted with DTPA solution as followed by Agro-Services International methodology. Boron was determined by Azomethine-H reagent buffer solution (Hunter, 1984). Soil physical attributes were assessed in the field using standard field methodology (FAO, 1977).

Source of Information: Oriental Geographer, Vol. 51. No. 1 & 2, 2007

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Fertility level of this area is moderate to optimum and is believed to be enriched by siltation during flooding. Annual siltation is a characteristic feature of these soils where from the traditional natural fertility of these soils is derived. With the introduction of irrigation along with HYV of rice, the cropping pattern had been changed and HYV Boro rice got preference over broadcast Aman and aus as a major rice crop in the area. Due to the changes in cropping pattern and demand for nitrogen and phophorus fertilizer have increased. There is no considerable change in organic carbon content and the pH value stands near neutral which indicates the agricultural viability of the studied soils. The present investigations ascertained that the study area including the wetlands can be economically exploited through appropriate nutrient management and selecting the proper cropping patterns.

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