TITLE:
Assessment of Spatial Variability of Soil Fertility Parameters Using Geospatial Techniques in Temperate Himalayas
AUTHORS:
Shazia Ramzan, Mushtaq A. Wani, M. Auyoub Bhat
KEYWORDS:
Geostatistics, Ordinary Kriging, Spatial Variability, Soil Fertility
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.8 No.10,
October
27,
2017
ABSTRACT: Knowledge of spatial variability of soil properties is important in precision
agriculture as well as site specific nutrient management. This paper addressed
the spatial distribution characteristics of organic matter (OM), pH, available
nitrogen (AvN), available phosphorus (AvP), available potassium (AvK) and
available sulphur (AvS) in Research farm of SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Srinagar. A
total of seventy seven (77) soil samples were collected in a systematic grid design
using geographical positioning system (GPS). Each grid was specified at a
fixed distance of 50 × 50 m2. The results showed that soil organic matter and S
was distributed normally while as the three soil macronutrients (AvN, AvP
and AvK) and soil pH followed log normal distribution. Soil available phosphorus
had a highest coefficient of variation (56.87%) and the soil pH (7.06%)
the lowest. All the soil macronutrients were found in medium range except
sulphur which was found deficient in whole of the research farm. The experimental
semivariogram of the log-transformed data of soil available phosphorus,
potassium, sulphur, soil pH and normally distributed soil organic matter
was fitted to exponential model. Gaussian model was found to be the best fit
for experimental semivariogram of soil available nitrogen. Experimental semivariogram
results indicated a moderate degree of spatial dependence for
soil organic matter, available potassium and sulphur, soil pH and weak degree
of spatial dependence for soil available nitrogen and phosphorus. Using such
analyses, it is possible to plan appropriate soil management practices, including
fertilization for agricultural production and environmental protection.