International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

ISSN 2167-0447

International Journal of Agricultural sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 3 (9), pp. 022-025, November, 2013. © International Scholars Journal

Review

Adsorption study: A systematic approach to determine zinc availability in soils of divergent characteristics

Girija Veni V., Rattan R.K and Datta S.P

Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, India.

*Corresponding Author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 07 October, 2013

Abstract

Imbalanced nutrient applications have resulted in failure of nutrient addition to keep pace with nutrient removal by crops especially in case of zinc (Zn). This resulted in productivity decline and malnutrition in humans due to their dependence of crops grown on these soils. This can be better solved by nutrient management practices as once the fertilizer is applied, it becomes available to the crop according to the Le chatelier’s principle of chemical equilibrium but Zn being heavy metal, it is necessary to access the sorption characteristics of soils for healthy recommendation of Zn fertilization in soils of divergent characteristics. Due to paradigm shift of soil-plant-human from soil-plant study with respect to micronutrient malnutrition, the sorption study is gaining importance in recent research.

Key words: Zn fertilization, sorption characteristics, malnutrition, soil, nutrient, crops.