IJSRP, Volume 3, Issue 2, February 2013 Edition [ISSN 2250-3153]
Muzmmel Mustafa, Mohammed Salih, Ibrahim Saeed, Elhag A.M.H
Abstract:
This study focused on the classification and evaluation of land, determination of suitability for surface irrigation, suitability for agriculture under irrigation and crop suitability in Khartoum University top farm (Shambat area), Khartoum State, Sudan. Through monitoring and mapping the changes that occurred in the soil due to drought and climate change in relation to land degradation processes in the study area was the main goal of this research.
The research was based on the data and information deduced and relied on field work, laboratory analysis and geographic information systems.
The study revealed that the soil is moderately suitable for agriculture due to limitations for optimal use, such as low fertility, soil cracking and wetness, this indicated that the soil is non-saline, non-sodic and calcareous. However, there are some small pockets of saline and sodic soil.
The results showed that the bulk density is relatively high, ranging from 1.5 to 1.9 g / cm3, this affects the physical environment of the soil while the spatial variability analysis of electrical conductivity of saturation extract (ECe), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and pH showed that there are no significant variation in these properties among the soils of the farm since all the soil samples were non-saline, non-sodic, and moderately alkaline.
The study proved that the use of global position system (GPS) and geographical information system (GIS) techniques are effective in soil evaluation.