Soil Phase: Base for Deriving Land Capability Class and Crop Suitability

A detailed land resource study of Gadagi-2 micro watershed, Lingasusgur taluk, Raichur district, Karnataka state, India, was carried out during summer 2017, at the scale of 1:8000 using cadastral map overlaid on IRS Cartosat-1 merged with LISS IV satellite imagery. Initially, a detailed survey was carried out to derive soil phase units based on land surface and profile characters. Five soil series were identified and mapped into five soil phase units. It is revealed that soil were non-saline with EC <4 dSm-1. The OC, available P2O5 and available K2O content of the study area were low to medium, and soil available N and S status were low in all the five soil phases. HEGiC2 soil phase was classified as class III land capability class with limitation of rooting and slope. Rest of the soil phases viz., KALhC2g1S1R1, VKRhD2g2S2R3, CHRhC2g1S1R1 and BHGhE2g2S2R2 were classified as class IV land capability with limitation of slope, texture, erosion, rooting condition and organic carbon. Suitability for horticulture and field crops were derived based on soil phase, site characteristics and climatic regimes. Proposed crop plan for field crops and horticulture crops for all five soil phase units was prepared. Suitable soil and water conservation measures such as deep and wider size pit and drip irrigation for fruit crops and forest trees, cultivation on raised beds with mulches and drip irrigation, graded bunds and strengthening of field bunds, crescent bunds were found suitable for vegetables, flowers and sole crops based on the soil phase characteristics.