Land Resources Evaluation of some Soils in the Western Qena Governorate Using Remote Sensing and Gis

Abstract

The Western Desert outskirt of Qena Governorate, Egypt, i.e., adjacent to the side of Giza – Luxor Western Desert road, Egypt is considered promising area for agricultural utilization as well as a model for representing some landscape features in the Western Desert, Egypt. So, it selected to be identified within the content of soil physiographic units, soil classification, land evaluation for agriculture – irrigated soils and their suitability for specific crops. Based on the visual interpretation of Landsat ETM7 (Enhanced thematic Mapper 7), the main physiographic units in the studied area could be categorized into four units, i.e, rubble terraces, fan and outwash plain, wadi plain and rock land. 120 mini pits were located and studied for setting up the physiographic boundaries and characteristic of soil map legend. Also, the variation of soil characteristics between the main identified physiographic units were represented by sixteen soil profiles which to be full morphologically described and sampled for laboratory analyses. The soils of the study area were classified as, Typic Torriorthents, Typic Torripsamments, Typic Quartzpsamments, Calcic Haplosalids, Typic Haplocalcids, Typic Haplogypsids and Lithic Torripsamments. According to land evaluation system undertaken by Sys and verheye (1978) and Sys et al (1991), the current suitability for agriculture irrigated soils could be categorized into two suitability classes, i.e., marginally suitable (S3) and not Suitable (N) beside five sub classes (S3s, N1wsn, N1ws, N1t and N2). Which are suffering from soil properties, i.e., soil texture (S1), soil profile depth, salinity and alkalinity (n) and topography (t) as soil limitations with different intensity degrees (slight to very severe). By applying the improvement practices for achieving the potential condition, the suitable classes would become, moderatly suitable (S2), marginally suitable (S3) and not suitable (N2). Also, Soil suitability for some specific crops of cereal (i.e., maize, wheat, barley and pea) vegetable (cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes and watermelon) and fruit (olives, citrus, mango and guava) were presented for soils developed on the identified physiographic units land suitability guide tables.