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Land Suitability and Fertility Capability Evaluation for Land Reform Area in Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand
Thesis Abstract:
Land suitability evaluation is one of the most effective methods for proper agricultural land use planning as it evaluates the suitability of land for a specific crop. Soil clusters were obtained using cluster analysis, which groups soils according to similar characteristics. Fertility Capability Classification of Soil (FCC) groups soils according to the kind of limitations present for agronomic management of the physical and chemical properties. For any particular soil, the FCC is presented as a code such as Lek, a soil which is loamy for topsoil and subsoil (L) having high leaching potential and low nutrient capital reserves. The fertility constraints were high leaching potential and low nutrient capital reserves (k). The interpretation of the code provides information that guides the user in choosing the right practices for the classified soil. By knowing soil clusters, FCC, and land suitability, farmers can identify the fertility and the limitation of their land and the most suitable crop to cultivate.
The study was conducted in Khok Phuk Kut and Pong Deang Forest, Maha Sarakham Province, Northeast Thailand, which are both located within a land reform area allocated by the Thai Government to landless farmers for agricultural purposes.
The study area was 2,915.81 ha. The study involved the creation of FCC unit and land suitability maps using the global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS), as well as grouping soil series into soil clusters based on their physical and chemical properties. Conformity of land suitability and present land use was also considered. The base maps of administrative boundary, topography, climate, soil series, and present land use were collected.
GIS was used to digitize the boundary of study area based on a map of the administrative boundaries of Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand. The boundary of the study area was overlaid with the soil series map using GIS. GPS was used to locate soil sampling points and features. The number of soil samples was based on the size of the area. Soil samples were analyzed based on important physical and chemical properties relevant to cluster analysis, FCC, and the Land Development Department’s land quality of land use requirement for major economic crops. FCC was based on quantitative topsoil and subsoil parameters (termed soil type and substrata type) and condition modifiers, directly relevant to plant growth. Soil series were grouped into soil clusters by cluster analysis based on physical and chemical properties.
Results of the study showed that both topsoils and subsoils in the study area were loamy sand (S) or sandy loam (L). Their fertility constraints were high rate of infiltration, low water-holding capacity, low nutrient capital reserves, and aluminum (Al) toxicity. Land suitability classification of the study area for major economic crops such as rice (transplanted, direct seeded), upland rice, cassava, and sugarcane was based on soil series. An area of 2,905.67 ha was found unsuitable for transplanted, direct seeded, and upland rice while marginally suitable for cassava. Meanwhile, 2,882.24 ha were found to be marginally suitable for sugarcane and only 23.43 ha were unsuitable. The fertility constraints were soil texture or structure.
This study can contribute to the generation of information useful in characterizing soil into classes, group of soils, as well as evaluating the fertility of the land and land suitability for the above-mentioned crops. The conformity of land suitability and present land use can ensure the proper use of land. Proper land use planning management can be practiced in the land reform area.