Land productivity and site-suitability assessment for crop diversification using remotely sensed data and GIS techniques.
Sharma J. C., Chaudhary S. K.
Author Affiliation: Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan - 173 230, India.
Agropedology 18 : 1-11
Abstract : A watershed in Shiwalik hills of Himachal Pradesh, India, was delineated into three major physiographic units i.e. Shiwalik foot hills, piedmonts and flood plains which consisted of 18 soil mapping units identified through remote sensing technique. These soils belong to three orders viz., Entisol, Inceptisol and Alfisol. Storie's index showed 4.45, 8.29 and 15.45% of total geographic area (TGA) of the watershed under fair, poor and very poor land productivity classes, respectively, whereas, considerable area (13.18%) was found to be under non-agricultural class. Approximately 8.56% of TGA was highly suitable for wheat and maize crops, whereas 74.94% was permanently not suitable for these crops. Similarly, 8.56% area was found moderately suitable for tomato and pea cultivation, whereas 82.57 and 79.88% of TGA was found permanently not suitable for these crops. As regards mango, 8.56, 8.70, 25.16 and 53.80% of TGA was highly suitable, marginally suitable, not suitable temporarily and not suitable permanently. Soil-site suitability analysis for important multipurpose tree species indicated three categories for khair (Acacia catechu) viz., highly suitable, moderately suitable and marginally suitable covering 20.50, 50.11 and 25.61% of TGA whereas, four categories of suitability were identified for safeda (Eucalyptus teriticornis [E. tereticornis]) comprising highly suitable, marginally suitable, not suitable temporarily and not suitable permanently and covered 8.56, 12.00, 21.86 and 53.80% of TGA, respectively.