Soil - site suitability evaluation for major crops in Jammalamadugu - Proddutur tract of Pennar river basin in YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

A reconnaissance soil survey was undertaken in Jammalamadugu - Proddutur tract of Pennar river basin in YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh to evaluate the suitability of soils for growing rice, cotton, bengalgram and sunflower crops. The soil belongs to Inceptisols, Entisols and Vertisols. All the pedons (P1 to P11) were marginally suitable for growing crops suchas rice, cotton, sunflower and bengalgram except P1 which is moderately suitable for growing cotton. Soil texture, pH and organic carbon, CaCO3 and drainage are the major limitations for crop growth in all the pedons. In general, the limitation levels of the land characteristics varied from crop to crop. The suitability classes for major crops can be improved if soil fertility characteristics are altered through soil amelioration measures. The actual and potential suitability classes of the soils also varied depending upon kind of limitations. If the limitation is due to properties like slope, erosion etc., it can be rectified or improved by adopting suitable soil and water conservation measures and introducing lifesaving irrigations but if the limitations are of permanent type like soil depth it is impossible to convert those lands into better suitability classes than the prevailing one.