AGROPEDOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF TRADITIONAL RICE GROWING HYDRIC SOILS IN MAJULI RIVER ISLAND, ASSAM, INDIA

The rice cultivation in neutral to slightly alkaline hydric soils of Majuli island is a unique in maintaining ecology and geo - environment due to endosaturated conditions throughout year with depleted matrix having hue 10YR, 2.5Y and 5Y and chroma less than 2. The assessment of land capability and soil quality for rice production of hydric soils was made with soil map of twenty five units after reconnaissance soil survey on 1:50000 scale. The arable soils were assessed as good (class II) to fairly good (IV) with low fertility status, moderate to severe wetness and moderate to rapid permeability. The soil quality on active and old flood plains were estimated as medium meeting the threshold value of 35 to 65%. The colour indices, total iron, manganese and clay were used for tracing out the soil hydrology and redoximorphic features in defining the saturation class responsible for silicate clay destruction with abrupt textural changes and poor base status. Thirty five per cent of total area is suitable for rice cultivation as against the current cropped area of 7.2 per cent with potassium and zinc deficiency.