Evaluation of Land Capability and Suitability Crop Production: Case Study in Halaib and Shalatien Region, South East Desert of Egypt | ||||
| Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering | ||||
| Article 6, Volume 10, Issue 12, December 2019, Page 759-769 PDF (1.63 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jssae.2019.79574 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Heba S. A. Rashed  1; F. O. Hassan2
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| 1Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Moshtohor, Benha University, Egypt | ||||
| 2National Authority for remote sensing and Space Science (NARSS), Cairo, Egypt. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| The current study was carried out on the soils of Halaib and Shalatien to estimate their capability and suitability for growing some crops (maize, wheat, alfalfa, potato, sugar beet, citrus, peach and olive). The studied area lies between latitudes 22 ˚ 20 `10`` and 22 ˚ 45 ` 11.5`` N, and longitudes 35 ˚ 55 ` 4.4`` to 36 ˚ 21 ` 4.6`` E. For this purpose, 17 soil profiles were dag and collect of soil samples. The soils were classified as Typic Torrifluvents, Typic Torripsamments, Lithic Torriorthents and Typic Haplosalids. The geomorphologic units of Halaib and Shalatienregion are divided into three groups: (1) Bahada Plains (alluvial fans and deltas, alluvial plains, wadis, sand sheets, sand dunes and plains with rock outcrops), (2) Coastal Forms (alkali flats), and (3) Faulted Mountains and Hills (mountains, mountain foot slopes, hills and hill foot slopes). The Automated Land Evaluation System program (ALES program) and Geographic Information System (GIS) were used to evaluate the land suitability in the studied area. Rock land and sand dunes occupied 57.68% of the total area. According to ALES program, the capability of the lands in the study area are grouped into four classes; Class (3) occupied 8.46% of the study area and represented by alluvial fans and deltas mapping units, Class (4) occupied 24.72% of the study area and included alluvial plains, wadis and sand sheets mapping units, Class (5) occupied 7.82% of the study area and included plain with rock outcrops and sand dunes mapping units and Class (6) occupied 1.16% of the study area and represented by only one soil map unit (Alkali flats). According to ALES program, the suitability of the study area classified into four classes: high suitability class (S2) occupying 16.39% of the study area, moderate suitability class (S3) occupying 13.27% of the study area, marginal suitability class (S4) occupying 8.26% of the study area, no suitability class (S5) occupying 3.23% of the study area. The main limitation factors for crop production in the studied area were soil texture, depth and salinity. These limitations are none permanent and can be improved through applied appropriate management practices. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Capability Index; Suitability Index; ALES program and Halaib and Shalatien | ||||
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