Question:

10 ppm of available phosphorus in the soil is equivalent to:

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Exam Tip: In soil fertility, a common approximation is: PPM $\times$ 2 = kg/ha. This is based on the assumption that the soil weighs about 2 million kg per hectare for the top 15 cm. This shortcut is very useful for MCQs.
  • 20 kg/ha
  • 15 kg/ha
  • 10 kg/ha
  • 100 kg/ha
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question involves the conversion of soil nutrient concentration from parts per million (ppm) to kg per hectare (kg/ha). This is a standard calculation used in soil fertility assessment.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:

The standard conversion factor for converting ppm to kg/ha for soil nutrients is based on the assumption that the topsoil (plough layer) to a depth of 15 cm weighs approximately \(2.24 \times 10^6\) kg or \(2.24\) million kg per hectare.
The formula used is:
\[ \text{Nutrient (kg/ha)} = \text{Concentration (ppm)} \times 2 \] This is a simplified rule of thumb. Let's verify it with the basic unit conversion.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:

1 ppm = 1 mg/kg of soil.
The weight of topsoil (0-15 cm) per hectare is approximately \(2.24 \times 10^6\) kg.
Therefore, 10 ppm means:
\[ 10 \text{ mg/kg} \times 2.24 \times 10^6 \text{ kg/ha} = 22.4 \times 10^6 \text{ mg/ha} \] Converting mg to kg:
\[ 22.4 \times 10^6 \text{ mg} = 22.4 \text{ kg} \] This is approximately 22.4 kg/ha, which is close to 20 kg/ha.
The standard rule of thumb for converting ppm to kg/ha is to multiply the ppm value by 2.
So, \(10 \text{ ppm} \times 2 = 20 \text{ kg/ha}\).

Step 4: Final Answer:

10 ppm of available phosphorus is equivalent to approximately 20 kg/ha. Therefore, option (A) is correct.
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