A Pedological Study on some Soils of Farafra Oasis, Egypt

Abstract

Farafra Oasis is a natural depression which located in the Egypt western desert. The whole area is under hot arid circumstance. There, the lands conferred indications of promising agricultural expansion. Study of the landforms and soils related with them can give a general survey of soil attributes. The investigated landforms include; depression floor (Peni plain- Chalky plain-Sand sheets- Playa).Eight soil profiles were selected to represent the identified physiographic units according to the information obtained during the reconnaissance field survey and the pre-field interpretation. A total of 14 soil samples, representing the different soil horizons of the selected profiles were collected, air-dried, crushed to pass through a 2 mm sieve, and stored for physical and chemical analyses. The soils were classified as following : ((Calcisalids – Gypsisalids – Haplogypsids - Haplosalids – Calcigypsisalids - Quartzipsamment - Torryluvants – Torriorthents - Aquisalids- Gypsiargids -Torripsamment((. Gypsum and calcium accumulations were found in salinity condition in most of the investigated soil samples. The drainage problem and the groundwater presence are common in most of the depression. The challenge is to be knowing of the problems and to design a suitable management system of water and soil.