Assessment of trace elements and its influence on physico-chemical and biological properties in coastal agroecosystem soil, Puducherry region

The concentration of trace elements Ba, Sr, V, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn, As, Mn, and Co were assed in the surface soil of agricultural lands, Puducherry region. The ranking order of occurrence of the heavy metals in 10 farms soils was Ba > Sr > Mn > Cr > V > Zn > Ni > Cu > Pb > Co > As indicating that Ba concentration was high. Trace elements such as, Cu, Cr, V, Zn, Pb, Ni, Co, and As enrichment levels were high in current years. Most of the farming soil showed metals Ba and Sr were higher than maximum permissible limit. Organic farming (farm 3, 6, and 9) soils were containing higher amount of plant available nutrients, sol microbial population and β-glucosidase activity. Cr, Zn, Cu, Pb, Co, and As trace elements were stronger inhibitory effects on soil biological properties. The enrichment of these trace elements in agriculture soil samples conforms their higher input of trace element contaminated organic manures, synthetic fertilizer, and fungicides by the farmers