The US experience in assessment of soils by productivity

Abstract

The article has highlighted the experience of the United States in crediting land based on productivity. In Ukraine soil classification was carried out in the section of soil groups according to their main natural properties, which have a stable nature and significantly affect the yield of agricultural crops grown in specific soil and climatic conditions. Complete work on soil grading on agricultural lands in Ukraine was carried out in 1993 within the boundaries of natural-agricultural districts and regions. Integral natural properties of soils reflect the credit score. These properties are divided into basic and modified. The main ones include the following: humus content, capacity of the humus horizon, the content of physical clay (particles up to 0.01 mm). The modified are mainly salinity, erosion, etc. Credit assessment of soil quality is presented in relative values — points on a closed 100-point scale. In contrast to Ukraine, in the United States land credit rating is carried out according to their productivity. Quantitative characterization of land productivity was carried out using two methodological approaches: inductive and deductive. The inductive assessment of productivity is given solely based on the estimated impact of different lands and soil properties on the potential yield. Deductive assessment, on the contrary, is based only on yield data on different soils. Most land valuations combine both approaches. It should be noted that thanks to the improvement of modern computer technology, it became possible to collect and process a large amount of information about land resources, which makes it possible to create mathematical simulation models, search programs, and computerized data banks. This is greatly facilitated by the development of remote sensing, new measuring devices, and map printing systems. This experience will contribute to the improvement of land resource assessment methods in Ukraine as well, despite the serious challenges that exist in the country.