Characterization of the Potato Growing Soils of Punjab

Soil samples were collected from potato growing regions of Punjab viz. Districts of Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Nawanshahar. The soils were non-saline and slightly alkaline in reaction. Most of these soils were light in texture, clay content varying from 9.9 to 33.4 per cent. The soils were low to medium in organic carbon content and low in available N contents. Available P and K contents in these soils varied from low to high. A majority of the soils (86 per cent) are high in available P indicating thereby the need for exploiting the residual P fertility of these soils.