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National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur 440 010, India
Abstract: A land evaluation for agricultural planning in Seoni district was carried out
based on soil survey data within a geographical information system. The soil-based GIS data
was compiled and interpreted for land use suitability and fertility assessment. Maps of fertility
and land use suitability were generated from interpretative records. A suitability map for each
agricultural land use was developed by combining the climatic and soil site factors for each crop.
The land use suitability analysis indicated that 44% of land was non-arable and was found to be
suitable for silvipasture and wildlife conservation and 56% of land was arable, of which, 24%
was found to be suitable for sorghum-soybean and 15% for sorghum-cotton systems that can be
productive despite a deficiency of potassium and zinc. The remaining 18% area was
recommended for rice, citrus, maize, sunflower and vegetables. The mapping exercise was
carried out to identify land units with suitable crops and to suggest alternative practices, where
the current land use is suboptimal.
Resumen: Se llevó a cabo una evaluación del suelo para la planeación agrícola en el distrito
Seoni con base en datos de una investigación de suelos en un sistema de información geográfica.
Se compilaron los datos de suelo basados en el SIG y se interpretó su aptitud de uso de suelo y
la evaluación de su fertilidad. Se produjeron mapas de fertilidad y aptitud del uso del suelo a
partir de registros interpretativos. Se elaboró un mapa de aptitud para cada uso agrícola del
suelo por medio de la combinación de los factores de sitio climáticos y edáficos para cada cultivo.
El análisis de la aptitud del uso del suelo indicó que 44% de la tierra no tenía aptitud agrícola
sino que era adecuada para la silvicultura y el pastoreo, y para la conservación de la vida
silvestre, y que 56% de la tierra era cultivable, de la cual 24% era adecuada para el cultivo de
sorgo y soya, y 15% para sistemas de sorgo-algodón que pueden ser productivos a pesar de una
deficiencia de potasio y zinc. Para el 18% restante del área se recomendó el cultivo de arroz,
cítricos, maíz, girasol y verduras. Este ejercicio cartográfico tuvo por objeto identificar las
unidades terrestres con sus cultivos más adecuados y sugerir prácticas alternativas para
aquellos sitios donde el uso actual del suelo es subóptimo.
Resumo: Uma avaliação do solo para o planeamento da agricultura no distrito de Seoni foi
efectuada com base nos dados do inventário com um sistema de informação geográfico. Os dados
do solo baseados no SIG foram compilados e interpretados para a capacidade de uso do solo e
avaliação da fertilidade. Os mapas de fertilidade e de capacidade de uso foram gerados a partir
de registos interpretativos. Um mapa para cada uso adequado de solo agrícola foi desenvolvido
pela combinação dos factores de clima e solo para cada cultura. A análise da capacidade de uso
do solo indicou que 44% do solo não era arável mas era satisfatório para a silvo-pastorícia e
conservação do bravio e 56% era arável , dos quais 24% eram bons para sorgo-soja e 15% para
sistemas sorgo-algodão e que podem ser produtivos não obstante uma deficiência em potássio e
zinco. Os restantes 18% eram recomendáveis para arroz, citrinos, milho, girassol e hortícolas. O
exercício de mapeamento foi levado a feito para identificar as unidades de solo para a melhor
afectação de culturas e para sugerir praticas alternativas, onde o uso do solo se encontrava sub-
optimizado.
Key words: Conservation planning, fertility, GIS, land use suitability, soil mapping
unit.
systems and degradation status at state level was fourteen landforms over basaltic and granitic
reported by Tamgadge et al. (1999) and Tamgadge landscapes of the district on 1:50,000 scale
et al. (1999a, b & c). About 75% of the area in the covering twenty-one topographical maps of Survey
district is covered by forest of teak and bamboo. of India. The soil profiles were morphometrically
The major forest belt runs from east to west along examined and soils were classified up to subgroup
the Satpura hill ranges and north to south along level described by USDA (1998). Soil series were
the foot hills near the Seoni town. The district has described and used mainly for practical purposes
a net sown area of 364,502 ha, of which 281,255 ha (Sohan Lal et al. 1994). The approach for the
was under kharif (wet season) and 179,215 ha was correlation of soil series in the field was done as
under rabi (dry season). About 95,968 ha area was described by Reddy (2006). The paradigm of the
double cropped with irrigation potential of 35% study is illustrated in Fig. 2. The soil information
(District Statistical Report 2003). system constituted a set of files in GIS under a
relational database management system. The
Methods spatial soil data were generated by digitizing
1:50,000 scale Survey of India topographical maps
A geo-pedological approach (Zinck 1988) was using ARC/INFO. The topology of each polygon
applied for the local physiographic analysis. This was built and all spatial datasets had polyconic
approach was used to cover large areas rapidly by projection. The land use plan was prepared from
establishing relationships between landforms and thematic maps with the land capability
soils. The landform map was generated as classification (Klingebiel & Montgomery 1961),
per standard procedures (USDA 1995), that has land suitability (FAO 1976; Sys et al. 1991) and
44 LAND USE SUITABILITY ASSESSMENT
Soil Survey
Physiography-Soil Database
Land Suitability
for land evaluation schemes. Different strategies southern lowlands of hills and ridges were Sukla
could be formulated in land use planning based (Sk)-Jamunola (Jm)-Rukhad (Rk) covering 7.5% of
on the different landscape elements described. TGA with loamy sand to sandy loam textured soils,
mostly covered by teak forest. These land units are
Soil map frequently covered with thick forest vegetation and
The spatial distribution of soils was presented support the tiger habitat in the Pench reserve
(Fig. 4) and the soil mapping units were designed forest area.
as soil series association with their symbols. The About 4.8% of the TGA was covered by Parasia
soil mapping units in the northern plateaus are of (Pc), Paddikona (Pd) and Khamariya (Ky) mapping
Parasia (Pc)-Pipariya (Pr)-Khamariya (Ky) soil units, that are shallow to very shallow clay soil
series association in Lakhnadon plateau occupied associations, concentrated in the northern plateaus
11.6% of total geographical area (TGA). The soils of Seoni district, and are mostly covered with
of these series are very shallow, well drained, pastures and only scanty area was cultivated for
sandy clay loam texture and were cultivated for millets. About 16.4% of the TGA was on lower
sorghum and redgram. About 10.4% of TGA was denudation plateaus and interhill basins, that are
covered by Sagar (Sa)–Paddikona (Pd)–Khamariya concentrated on northern and central part of the
(Ky)–Parasia (Pc) series, that are mostly under district, consisting of mapping units such as
lower denudational plateaus. The soils of these Arandiya (Ar), Kharsaru (Kh), Bhimgarh (Bg),
series are moderately deep to very deep, clay in Nadora (Nd), Silghat (Si), Atari (At) and Chuui
texture and were cultivated for paddy and (Cu), Dhenka (Dk), Paddikona (Pd), Sagar (Sa),
soybean. The dominant soil mapping units in Jamunpani(Jp), Chunamati (Ch) and Parasia (Pa),
46 LAND USE SUITABILITY ASSESSMENT
Khamariya (Ky), Gorakhpur (Go) and Lakhnadon associations in southern lowlands under forest
(Lk). The soils of these associations were mostly have sandy clay loam to clay texture, well drained,
clayey, deep to very deep and poorly to moderately and shallow to deep soils covering 14.7% of the
well-drained. area. The mapping units are Kanera (Kn), Bisapur
Soils over structural hills, escarpments and (Bs) and Jamuntola (Jm), Khawasa (Kw), Sukla
severely eroded plateau tops are very shallow (Sk), Tarali (Ta), Lungsa (Lu) and Lakhnadon (Lk)
(<10 cm) to shallow (25-50 cm), somewhat and Dhora (Dh)-Sukla (Sk), Prattappur (Pt).
excessively drained, sandy clay loam to clay loam
texture and are mainly cultivated for millets and Fertility characteristics
kondon kutki (a staple food in the form of pej). The Eight units of fertility capability (Fig. 5) were
mapping units are Khamariya (Ky), Atari (At), derived and were defined in the combinations of
Parasia (Pc), Nadora (Nd), Sagar (Sa), Dhora (Dh) type, substrata type and modifiers (Sanchez et al.
and Lakhnadon (Lk), Pipariya (Pr), that covers 1982). The fertility capability classification (FCC)
16.9% of area, mostly concentrated in central of basaltic soils have showed that these soils has
Wainganga, Sagar and Hirvi valley. The soil clay surface texture with low infiltration, good
BOBADE et al. 47
water holding capacity, high shrink-swell potential holding capacity, low K supply and 15-35% gravels
and were highly productive. The FCC class for were defined as SSr+bk. The spatial distribution of
these soils was defined as CCvdb. Certain units were in the ascending order viz., LRdik
characteristics were particularly important (6.1%) > CCvdik (7.3%) > CCRdv (9.7%) > LLdk
in determining capabilities of various soil series (16.6%) > CCvdb (38.7%).
(Table 2). The modifiers and symbols that were The availability of NPK
used such as root-restricting hard substrata (R), Soils were grouped into three fertility classes
low K reserves (k) and high P fixation in based on level of acceptance of critical limits
Khamariya series, r+ for 15-35% gravel by volume (Benton Jones 2001). Group 1 soils (Gondatola
in Dhora series, v for severe topsoil swelling and series) have low N, P, K and Zn status. Group 2
shrinking in Gorakhpur series. The FCC unit of soils (Prattappur & Chunamati series) have
loamy textured surface soils in granitic landforms medium K status and lower amount of N, P, Fe
(Kanera, Arandiya, Jamuntola and Pipariya and Zn. The Group 3 Aradiya series have high
series) with root restricting hard substrata, that K and low in N, P and Zn status. The NPK status
was defined as LRd, whereas, in Bisapur and in the soils (Table 2 & Fig. 6) have showed that
Rukhad series with sandy top soil, with low water 40.3% of soils in northern Lakhnadon plateau have
50 LAND USE SUITABILITY ASSESSMENT
low available nitrogen (< 275 kg ha-1), low Land use alternatives
phosphorus (< 34 kg ha-1) and medium available
potassium (138-275 kg ha-1), whereas, soils in Land capability classes were generally used for
southern lowlands have low nitrogen, low or high land use assessment, determine erodible areas and
(> 61 kg ha-1) phosphorus and medium to high to review land use potentials. The land capability
(> 275 kg ha-1) available potassium contents. The analysis showed that district has 44% non-arable
soils in upper Wainganga valley have low nitrogen, and 56% (TGA) arable land, respectively. The non-
phosphorus and medium to high available potassium arable lands were identified as having steep
contents (Sehgal 1986). slopes, very shallow and strongly stony soils that
make cultivation impossible. The non-arable arable classes with erosion and depth limitations,
portion concentrated in upper ridges of Lakhnadon which make this land moderately cultivable that
plateau (45%) was evaluated for forestry and requires careful selection of crops adapted to soil
wildlife conservation as per the criteria of land depth, slope and stoniness. About 15% (TGA) of
capability classification (Klingebiel & Montgomery the area was covered by the class IV soils, which
1961). Thirty-eight percent of land was suitable for are fairly suitable for occasional or limited
silvipasture and remaining 7% of TGA was cultivation. The soil-site suitability analysis of the
suitable for wildlife conservation. The spatial arable land has indicated that 12% of TGA was
distribution and details of 11 land use units are suitable for rice - wheat cropping system, 24% for
depicted in Fig. 7 and Table 3. sorghum-soybean, 15.3% for sorghum-cotton and
About 41% of the TGA was covered by the class III, 24% of TGA was suitable for citrus. The soil-site
52 LAND USE SUITABILITY ASSESSMENT
Table 3. Land use plan based on soil-site suitability and land capability.
characteristics such as climate, slope, erosion, and occur mostly on escarpments and plateau tops
flooding, drainage, texture/structure, coarse in the district. The soil, of Dhora, Kanera,
fragments, depth, calcium carbonate/gypsum Lakhnadon, Parasia and Pipariya series have
content, apparent cation exchange capacity, base shallow, slightly acid to slightly alkaline, clayey
saturation, sum of basic cations, pH, organic surface texture and were evaluated as moderately
carbon content, and exchangeable sodium suitable for soybean, citrus and maize. They are
percentage, that were used in the land evaluation arable lands with severe limitations of steep slopes
of different crops by Sys et al. (1991). and stoniness. These soils (Gorakhpur, Khamariya
The agro-climate of Seoni is characterized by and Kharsaru series) were mostly associated with
hot moist sub-humid with an annual rainfall of moderately deep, well drained Masanbarra and
1100 to 1500 mm and mean annual temperature of Kodajhiri series which were not suitable for
24 to 25 °C. The length of growing period (LGP) is cultivation. The Nadora and Paddikona series
180 to 210 days with three months of humid period occurring on valleys and inter-hill basins were
(July-August-September) and had residual soil moderately well drained, moderately deep, clay
moisture that was used by crops until January textured, high shrink-swell potentials and slightly
(Velayutham et al. 1999). The suitability of soils alkaline in reaction. These soils were suitable for
to crops was evaluated and described. the cultivation of wheat, soybean, cotton and
Moderately deep, moderately well drained, sandy sorghum.
loam to sandy clay loam textured, slightly acid The current land use in the district is sub-
with low available N and K soils are suitable for optimal with a net sown area of 374,000 ha,
sorghum and moderately suitable for wheat, wherein, food crops account for 84% of the total
soybean and citrus. These soils are mostly cropped area. The acreage under the principal food
concentrated in southern lowlands of the district crops are rice (87,700 ha), wheat (86,700 ha), jowar
with soil series of Arandiya (Ar), Bisapur (Bs), (14,700 ha), maize (6,700 ha), kodon kutki (53,700
Chunamati (Ch), Dhenka (Dh) and Gondatola (Go), ha), Bengal gram (27,600 ha), black gram (21,900)
Jamunpani (Jm) Prattappur (Pr) and Khawasa and pigeon pea (6,200 ha). The productivity of
(Kw). these crops in kg/ha was 1,242 for rice, 449 for
Very shallow, clay textured, stony soils with wheat, 623 for jowar, 984 for maize, 183 for kodon
root restricting hard layers, slightly acid and low kutki, 596 for Bengal gram, 239 for black gram
NPK status were classified as non-arable lands and 1,260 for pigeon pea (District Statistical
BOBADE et al. 53
Report 2003). These average productivities of crops Science, Virginia Tech. Blacksburg, Virginia.
were below the national average yield. Therefore, District Statistical Report. 2003. Seoni District, Madhya
the plan was proposed, based on land resource Pradesh. District Statistical Office. Seoni.
data that minimizes the expansion of area on Dumanski, J., M. Phipps & E. Huffman. 1987. A study of
marginal lands under paddy and replacing the relationships between soil survey data and
areas cultivated for kodon kutki (a non- agricultural land use using information theory.
remunerative food crop) by diversified crops like Canadian Journal of Soil Science 67: 95-102.
soybean, cotton, wheat and maize. There is a vast ESRI. 1999. Getting to Know ArcView GIS. 3rd edn.
scope to replace the area cultivated for sun hemp Environmental Systems Research Institute,
(31,000 ha), sesamum (8,200 ha) and kodon kutki Redlands, California.
(53,700 ha) in the district (Guru 1989). FAO. 1976. A Framework for Land Evaluation. Soils
Bulletin 3, FAO, Rome.
Conclusions FAO. 1983. Guidelines: Land Evaluation for Rainfed
Agriculture Soils. Bulletin 52, Rome.
The land resource data, that have been GSI. 2002. District Resource Map Seoni District, Madhya
generated, could be integrated through GIS Pradesh. Geological Survey of India, Nagpur.
techniques for efficient crop planning at district Guru, S.D. 1989. Madhya Pradesh District Gazetteers,
level. The land units that were under citrus and Seoni. Directorate of Gazetteers, Department of
soybean have been identified as a potential area culture, Madhya Pradesh, Government Regional
for crop diversification in the Seoni district. The Press, Gwalior.
fertility capability classification (FCC) units and Hasse, G. 1989. Medium scale landscape classification in
available NPK status zones that were delineated the German Democratic Republic. Landscape
could be used for linking crop response studies Ecology 3: 29-41.
with integrated nutrient management for various Hong, S.D. & H.T. Park. 1999. Soil fertility evaluation
cropping systems in the district for land evaluation with the adoption of soil map data base for tobacco
programmes. fields. Journal of Korean Society of Soil Science and
Fertilizer 32: 95-108.
Acknowledgements Klingebiel, A.A. & P.H. Montgomery. 1961. Land
Capability Classification. Agricultural Handbook
The authors express their gratitude to Dr.
No. 210. USDA Soil Conservation Service.
S.P.S. Kushwaha, Head, Forestry and Ecology
Washington, DC.
Division, IIRS, Dehradun and Dr. Skip J. Van
Kushwaha, S.P.S., S.K. Subramanian, S.V.C.
Bloem, Department of Agro-Environmental Scien-
Kameswara Rao, J. Ramana Murthy, G.Ch.
ces, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, USA, for
Chennaiah, A. Perumal & G. Behera. 1996.
critical reviews and for many useful suggestions.
Interfacing remote sensing and GIS methods for
Authors thank Mrs. Ujwala Tijare, NBSS & LUP,
sustainable development. International Journal of
Nagpur, for map data processing in GIS.
Remote Sensing 17: 3055-3069.
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