الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 148 |  |  |
| | | from | 148 | | |
Abstract
the present investigation aimed to:
1. study evaluation of soil fertility by using geographic information systems (GIS) in faculty of agriculture farm at kalabshoo area.
2. test the efficiency and application of GIS for evaluation of soil fertility.
3. identify land suitability for growing crops.
This study was carried out at Mansoura University Agricultural Experimental Station, Kalapshow farm, Bilqas district, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Studied area covers about 0.231 km2 (55.5 Feddan (42 Feddans are cultivated and 13.5 Feddans are uncultivated)). Studied area is located between these coordinates 31◦ 23΄ E & 31◦ 25΄ N. This area is classified into five plots.
A grid soil sampling technique was applied in collecting soil samples from the studied area. A grid size was 50 x 50 m2 (about 0.5 feddan) and a total of 68 soil samples were collected. Coordinates of soil samples were recorded using the Global Positioning System (GPS). The Geostatistical analyst in ArcGIS 9.3 (ESRI, 2008) by using kriging Technique, which used in predicting the studied soil physiochemical
Generally, the plot 3 was the best compared with other plots, especially with plot 5, which is uncultivated. Data represent of soil physical and chemical characteristics of the five plots in the studied area are summarized in the following:
1. Particle size distribution data represented revealed a prominent sandy soil texture in the studied area, the highest clay content was recorded in plot 3, whereas the lowest content was in plot 5.
2. Available water was very low. 3. Bulk density varied from 1.26 to 1.61 Mg.kg-1. porosity values (E) were varied from 0.34 to 0.50; while void ratio (e) values were from 0.52 to 1.01.
4. Soils in all plots were considered from non-saline to very high saline (0.50 and 20.79 ds.m-1).
5. Values of soil pH varied from 8.03 to 8.19 in soil paste. 6. Obtained data also revealed that the studied soils poor in available NPK (7.00 to 35.00 ppm), (2.10 to 10.16 ppm) and (31.55 to 229.43 ppm), respectively. 7. The total N varied from 0.01 to 0.07 %. 8. Soil organic matter was low (0.11 to 1.43 %) in the studied soils. 9. The highest SOM values were in plot 3, whereas the lowest values were in plot 5, while soil content of C/N ratio was irregular. 10. CEC is varied from (1.13 to 17.50 Cmol.kg-1).
11. The study area was considered alkaline, where ESP was irregular (14.77 to 50.62 %).
12. Soils were considered non calcareous, where total CaCO3 was less than 6 %.
Evaluation of soil fertility:
There are some crop, vegetables and fruits, which can be grown with the improvement of agricultural practices to the farm, such as cabbage, pea, sunflower, wheat, barely, Sugar beet, tomato, Date palm, rice, maize, faba been, onion and Water melon. This area need to improve drainage and account leaching requirements of irrigation water before cultivation, also it need to account gypsum requirement for reclamation this area.
Finally, the studied area according to ASLE could be classified into two grades as poor and fair of land capability. Generally, the studied area was considered poor of soil fertility that require moderately intensive management practices to reach productivity optimization for this area, which requires further study.