Abstract

A study was carried out to determine the proximate constituents of soil organic matter in relation to elevation in the red ferrallitic soils of Kerala, India. Fats and waxes, resins, free sugars, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and protein increased significantly with elevation. Hemicellulose accounted for double the amount of cellulose and free sugars taken together. Lignin and protein accounted for a major portion of organic matter