Dergiler / EURASIAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE / 2018 / Cilt: 7 - Sayı: 1
Evaluation of land suitability for main irrigated crops in the North-Western Region of Libya
- Sayfa
- 73–86
- DOI
- —
Abstract
Land suitability analysis can help to achieve sustainable crop production with a properuse of the natural resources. The current study was carried out on the soils of northwestern area of Libya to assess their morphological, physical and chemical propertiesand their suitability for growing irrigated crops. The studied area lies between latitudes32° 30′ 00.9" and 32° 57′ 34.2'' N and between longitudes 11° 35′ 08.4" and 11° 45′09.2" E. Two suitability methods (Sys &Verhey and Storie methods) were used to assessthe land suitability of this area. According to Sys and Verhye method, the soils of thestudied area varied in the suitability for irrigation between highly suitable (S1) tomarginally suitable (S3). However, according to modified Storie index method the soilsproductivity, ranged from excellent (grade 1) for agriculture to non-agricultural (grade6). The modified Storie index method was more effective in assessing the land suitabilityof this area. The drip irrigation system was also more suitable than surface irrigationmethod for most of the soils of the studied area. The indeces of soil suitability rating andpercentage for growing alfalfa, sorghum, barley, maize, millets, wheat and safflowerwere higher compared to those for growing soybean, sunflower and sesame. Onion andgreen pepper crops were moderately suitable to be grown in 42% of the soils of thestudied area while the other vegetables were not suitable to be grown in most of thesoils of the studied area. The evaluated fruit trees could be arranged according to the soilsuitability rating and percentage in the order of date palm > olives > guava > citrus >banana. The results also revealed that the studied area has a good potential to producethe selected crops under irrigation provided that the water requirements for these cropsare met. The main limiting factors for land suitability for growing crops are soil texture,soil depth, calcium carbonate, alkaline pH and soil salinity.