Soil fertility assessment and balanced fertilizer recommendation for improved crop productivity in Hanjihalli micro watershed using GIS and GPS

Abstract

Soil nutrient inventory provides awareness on the potentialities and limitations of soil for its effective utilization. Judicious use of fertilizers in required amount will help to achieve higher yields. The present study was undertaken to assess the soil fertility status for fertilizer recommendation mapping of important crops grown in the micro watershed. Hundred composite soil samples were collected covering an agricultural area of 100 ha at 100 m grid intervals and analysed for soil reaction, salinity, organic carbon, major and secondary nutrients at laboratory using standard methods. Using Arc-GIS the data generated was processed and mapped. Kriging and inverse distance weighting interpolation method was followed. A raster map was developed using the grid points merged with analysed data and then vector spatial soil fertility maps were generated using Arc-GIS. Soil test based fertilizer recommendation help to enhance the soil fertility and crop productivity with minimal usage of fertilizers.