~ 1812 ~  International Journal of Chemical Studies 2018; 6(1): 1812-1815                     P-ISSN: 2349–8528  E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2018; 6(1): 1812-1815 © 2018 IJCS Received: 28-11-2017 Accepted: 30-12-2017   Kalaiselvi Beeman ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Bangalore, India Rajendra Hegde ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Bangalore, India Vasundhara R ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Bangalore, India Anil Kumar KS ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Bangalore, India Dharumarajan S ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Bangalore, India Lalitha M ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Bangalore, India SK Singh ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur, India Correspondence Kalaiselvi Beeman ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Bangalore, India Characterization and classification of soils of Bilalgodu micro-watershed, Chikmagalur district, Karnataka Kalaiselvi Beeman, Rajendra Hegde, Vasundhara R, Anil Kumar KS, Dharumarajan S, Lalitha M and SK Singh Abstract A detailed soil survey was carried out in Bilalgodu microwatershed of Kalasa block, Mudigere taluk, Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka at 1:10000 scale. The bilalgodu micro-watershed was selected to study and understand the pedogenic characters of the soil in different physiographic regions for summit, undulating hills, side and foot slopes due to the variability in landform which affects the crop productivity. Five soil series were identified in the study area based on the pedological investigations of typifying pedons and physico-chemical properties. The soils were characterized by deep to very deep, dark reddish brown to dark grayish brown (Munsell colour chart), well drained, slightly acidic to very strongly acidic, medium to high in organic carbon and low to medium in cation exchange capacity showing textural variations ranging from sandy clay loam to clay indicated difference in development apparently due to the varied landform in the region and were formed on ferruginous quartzite schist parent material. The soils were taxonomically classified as Ustic Kanhaplohumults, Typic Kanhaplustults, Pachic Argiustolls, Ustic Haplohumults, Aquic Dystrustepts respectively. Keywords: pedological soil characteristics, physico-chemical properties, taxonomic soil classification Introduction Enhancing the sustainable soil productivity is the need of the hour to feed the ever increasing population (Philip et al., 2012) [11] . Indiscriminate use of finite soil resources coupled with lack of management has led to degradation causing concern to planners, researchers and farmers. Scientific approach of soil studies for pedological investigations, physico characterization may aid for development and management of soil resources through mapping at larger scale on 1:10,000 (Kanwar, 1994) [4] . Soil resource studies highlight its potentialities and limitations for its effective management and improve productivity. Precise soil survey at larger scale and in depth laboratory investigations facilitates detailed information on land form, geology, natural vegetation, soil reaction, salt concentration that elaborates limitations and productivity potentials of soils for crop production and also assess suitability of land uses (Manchanda et al., 2002) [6] . The properties of a soil are the basic attributes that directly influence the soil response to any specified use. Rational utilization of land resources can be achieved by optimizing its use, which demands evaluation of land for alternative land use (Udoh, 2015) [20] . Chikmagalur district in Karnataka reported extreme variation in the landform, lack of potential nutrient reserve in the ferruginous parent materials for crop production, and the tropical climate that favored widespread utilization of land for forestry. In the absence of detailed soil survey data and large scale maps the implementation of management strategies and reclamation options were lagging behind. An attempt was therefore taken, for detailed characterization and classification of soil resources in a pilot scale in Bilalgodu watershed, for further upscaling in similar areas. Materials and Methods Study area Geographically, the Bilalgodu watershed lies between 75°17'54" to 75°20'03" E longitude and 13°11'54" to 13°13'49" N latitude with an area of 710 hectare. The general elevation of the area ranges from 700 to 1100 m above mean sea-level (MSL). The drainage is sub-parallel and dendritic in the watershed.