Open AccessComparison of Different Land Evaluation Techniques for Evaluating the Soil Suitability for Rainfed Hybrid Cotton
Author(s) -
M. V. Venugopalan,
P. Tiwary,
Dhanashree Pable,
Soil
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
agropedology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0971-1570
DOI - 10.47114/j.agroped.2020.dec1
Subject(s) - soil series , soil water , series (stratigraphy) , environmental science , mathematics , soil science , agronomy , hydrology (agriculture) , soil classification , geology , biology , geotechnical engineering , paleontology
This study compares the performance of three land evaluation methods, viz., FAO Simple Limitation, Storie Index and InfoCrop simulation model, for assessing the suitability of cotton soils (represented by nine different soil series) of Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India. The Simple Limitation method categorised Wardha, Parseoni and Bhugaon soil series as moderately suitable and the remaining are marginally suitable for rainfed cotton. The values of Land Index, determined by the Storie method, ranged from 20.3 for Manori series to 55.3 for Bhugaon series. Rainfed cotton yields, simulated by InfoCrop model ranged from 761 kg ha-1 in Manori series to 2881 kg ha-1 in Katol series. The Relative Yield Index (RYI) ranged from 0.154 for Manori series to 0.585 for Katol series. Kinhala, Katol and Takali soil series, classified as marginally suitable by the Simple Limitation method, were upgraded as moderately suitable by Sys parametric method. The results of InfoCrop model justified this up-gradation with the high values of RYI that ranged from 0.574 to 0.585. Soils of Manori and Hatodi series are not suitable for cultivating rainfed cotton. Soil depth, hydraulic conductivity and plant available water in the soil were critical factors governing cotton yield and ranking of soils for their suitability.