Soil carbon, nitrogen and texture dynamics at root zone and between plants in Riverine plantation of Acacia catechu, Dalbergia sissoo, Phyllanthus emblica and Eucalyptus camaldulensis

Abstract

This research was objectively carried out to assess the dynamic of carbon, nitrogen andtexture at root zone and location between plants. The plantation of Acacia catechu,Dalbergia sissoo, Phyllanthus emblica and Eucalyptus camaldulensis of Pragati communityforest, Mahottari district, Nepal was selected for this study which was done in 2011. Thestratified random sampling was applied to collect soil samples. Altogether 320 soilsamples were collected from 0-10, 10-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm depths. The result showedthat soil carbon was about 8.16 t ha-1 at root zone which was only 7.56 t ha-1 at locationbetween plants at 0-10cm depth in Phyllanthus emblica stratum. The soil carbon was theleast nearly 2.08 t ha-1 at root zone which was 1.59 t ha-1 at location between plants inEucalyptus camaldulensis stratum. The carbon percentage was the highest about 1.35% atroot zone of Phyllanthus emblica stratum. However, the C/N ratio was the highest about69:1 at location between plants of Dalbergia sissoo stratum. The texture of soil was loamysand at root zone in Phyllanthus emblica, Acacia catechu and Dalbergia sissoo plantationswhile it was sandy at both root zone and between plants of Eucalyptus plantation.Plantations have significant effect on soil carbon and nitrogen at 95% confidence level.