MINERAL CONTENT OF GRASSES AND GRASSLANDS OF THE HIMALAYAN REGION

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Abstract
We analyzed grass samples, collected from different naturally occurring grasslands of the Himalayan region, to determine concentrations of trace and major elements in the grasses. These concentrations were related to the concentrations of these elements in soils, soil chemical properties, and climatic factors. Means and ranges of the trace and major elements in the grasses are presented and discussed locationwise and for the whole sampled area. There were manifold variations in the concentration of most of the trace elements in the grasses collected either from different sites at the same location or from different locations. Differences in the concentration of major elements were relatively small. A number of the grasses from humid or subhumid temperate zones were richer in the trace elements, viz., Zn, Cu, Fe, B, Mo, Ni, and Co, and in all major elements compared with those from the subhumid tropical or wet temperate zones. There were highly significant correlations between the concentrations of Zn, Mn, Cd, and B in the grasses and in the soils. The concentration of these elements in the grasses was also significantly correlated with a number of interacting elements in the soils. The other elements, for example, Cu, Co, and Mo, in the grasses did not show significant correlation with their concentrations in the soils, though they showed significant correlations with other interacting elements in the soil. Some of the trace elements, viz., Mn and B, and all the major elements in the grasses did not show significant correlation with their concentrations in the soils, though they showed significant correlations with other interacting elements in the soil. Some of the trace elements, viz., Mn and B, and all the major elements in the grasses were significantly correlated with soil pH. All the micronutrients and some of the major elements were highly correlated with soil organic matter, but only a few of the elements in the grasses showed any correlation with cation exchange capacity. Zinc, Fe, Cd, Ni, B, Mo, and all the major elements showed significant correlations with CaCO3. A number of the trace elements in the grasses were interrelated. We observed an overall trend for concentrations of trace and major elements in the grasses to increase with elevation and decrease with rainfall and temperature. None of the grass samples analyzed was deficient in Zn, Cu, and Fe for normal plant growth, but about 2, 76, 2, 17-76, 21, 44, 6, and 73% of the grass samples may be considered deficient in Mn, B, Mo, N, P, K, Ca, and Mg, respectively. The percentage of the grass samples that may not meet the dietary requirements of sheep and cattle was 55 for Zn, 5 for Mn, 55 for Cu, 23 for Mo, 90 for I and Se, 15 for Co, 20-35 for N, 40 for P, 34 for K, 6 for Ca, 73 for Mg and 100 for Na.

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