GPS-GIS-Based Soil Fertility Maps of Shahada Tahsil of Nandurbar District (M.S.)

Abstract

GPS and GIS techniques, i.e.,the global positioningsystem and geographical information system, are widely utilized to delineate fertility maps of macro- and micronutrients. Soil samples collected with GPS data can help in making critical decisions on nutrient management. Thematic soil fertility maps require the collection of soil samples using GPS technology. It is extremely important in agriculture for future soil nutrient monitoring in various locations/villages. Nandurbar district is located between 21.228° N and 74.1422° E North Latitude and East Longitude. Nandurbar district comprises six tahsils; out of these, the Shahada tahsil, which is located between 21.5429691° N and 74.44691462° E, is considered for this study. Micronutrient depletion has become a serious limitation for soil productivity and sustainability due to the acceptance of high-yielding cultivars and intensive cropping, as well as a move toward the use of high NPK fertilizers. The sampling of soil was carried out using the random sampling method, i.e., five random soil samples per village. The total soil samples collected from Shahada tahsil were 588 from a total of 118 villages. Latitude and longitude were recorded using a GPS instrument from soil sampling areas in Shahada. The soils were collected at a depth of 0 to 22.5 cm from farmers’ fields. The number of samples collected from Shahada tahsil was 588. All the precautions were followed while processing the soil samples in the laboratory. Standard procedures, such as pH (1:2.5), electrical conductivity (EC) (1:2.5), and organic carbon in percentage, were used to analyze soil samples. The GPS-GIS-based fertility maps of Shahada tahsil in Nandurbar district (M.S.) were prepared by using Arc-4 software. Most soil in Shahada tahsil is medium black to deep black cotton soil which belongs to the soil order inceptisol and vertisol, and the topographic condition is flat; therefore, the main crops grown in this study area are sugarcane, cotton, chilli, papaya, maize, wheat, and gram. The cultivated soils of Shahada tahsil were saline to alkaline in reaction. The soils of Shahada tahsil were moderately saline according to their electrical conductivity. The EC of soils ranged between 0.06 and 2.90 dSm−1 with an average value of 0.60 dSm−1. The average value of organic carbon in Shahada areas was 0.57 g kg−1. These data and fertility maps will be helpful in planning and maintaining the fertility, productivity, and quality of growing crops.