SOIL ORGANIC MATTER CHARACTERIZATION OF GANGES MEANDER FLOODPLAIN SOILS UNDER DIFFERENT CROPPING PATTERNS

The study has a scope to focus on the effects of organic matter characterization of four soil series under different cropping patterns of the study areas. Nitrogen and organic carbon is the most deficient element in Bangladesh. More than 60% loss of urea-N occurs in wet land rice culture. Efficient research is needed on the aspect of reducing the N loss from soils and increase N use efficiency, particularly under wet land rice system. However, the situation of soil N is similar to that of organic matter since more than 85% N comes from decomposition of organic matter. The 21st century poses a formidable challenge to the agricultural scientists in general, and soil  scientists in particular. There is a rapidly changing demand that soil research should   address some vital issues in the coming 20 years. We are being called upon to solve depletion of organic matter which we did not face a decade back.

The objectives of the study relate to the followings

􀂾 To characterize organic matter under different cropping patterns,

􀂾 To assess the OC stock under different cropping patterns,

􀂾 To characterize the humic acids by evaluating the C/N ratio, E4/E6 ratio and coagulation threshold, and

􀂾 To correlate between humic fractions and different soil properties.

• Supervision