Soil-site suitability evaluation in two different agroecological systems and relevance of the parameters

• Published in: Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science Vol. 52; no. 2
• Main Authors: Vadivelul, S., National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Jorhat (India). Regional Centre, Sharma, J.P, Raja, P., National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur (India, Bhaskar, B.P., National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Jorhat (India). Regional Centre, Gajbhiye, K.S., National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur (India, Baruah, U, Sarkar, D, Butte, P.S, Dutta, D.P., National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Jorhat (India). Regional Centre
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.2004
• Subjects: AGROECOSYSTEMS; HIGHLANDS; LAND EVALUATION; SOIL CHEMICOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES; SOIL SURVEYS; SUITABILITY; VALLEYS
• ISSN: 0019-638X

Soil-site suitability evaluation for crops forms an essential part of every land use planning programme. Several soil and site characteristics are used as parameters for assessing the suitability of land for crops in every land evaluation exercise. Another rule of land evaluation states that more the number of limiting properties lesser is the suitability rating. Hence, it becomes all the more essential to exercise caution in identifying the soil-site characteristics for use as parameters in land evaluation. In the present study, soils of two different areas, one in the Brahmaputra valley and other in the Deccan plateau, were evaluated for commonly cultivated crops. The suitability classes vis-a-vis soil characteristics are discussed in this paper. Though several characteristics are listed and used for the evaluation, only a few of them decide the suitability class of the land. For example, in the Brahmaputra Valley, soil texture, pH, organic carbon and inundation decide the suitability of the land for growing rice, potato, cabbage, tomato, French bean, peas and cowpea. In the Deccan plateau, soil depth, slope, erosion, clay content and organic carbon decide the suitability of the land for growing crops such as cotton, pigeon pea, sorghum and banana. Therefore, this study recommends identification of relevant characteristics in each of the agroecological regions of the country for use in land evaluation and then focus attention in managing these characteristics to increase agricultural production.