Soil macronutrient status under different land use systems in Mahabubnagar district, Telangana

Land use systems significantly influence soil nutrient availability by altering nutrient cycling and soil management practices. The present study evaluated the effect of different land use systems on available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the soils of Mahabubnagar district, Telangana. Soil samples were collected from two depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm) under seven major land use systems, namely rice–rice, maize–groundnut, groundnut–fallow, cotton–fallow, mango orchard, fodder and forest. Available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were determined using standard analytical procedures, and the data were analysed by two-way analysis of variance. Significant differences in nutrient availability were observed among land use systems and soil depths. Forest soils recorded the highest mean available nitrogen (300.5 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus (52.48 kg ha⁻¹) and potassium (350.88 kg ha⁻¹), whereas the cotton-fallow system recorded the lowest available nitrogen (196.3 kg ha⁻¹) and phosphorus (34.37 kg ha⁻¹), and the rice–rice system recorded the lowest potassium (252.45 kg ha⁻¹). All three nutrients showed a declining trend with increasing soil depth. The findings demonstrate that land use plays a vital role in regulating soil fertility and highlight the importance of adopting land use-specific nutrient management practices for sustainable agricultural production.