LAND SUITABILITY FOR IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE IN KOMOMBO WESTERN PLAIN ,ASWAN-EGYPT.

Document Type : Research articles.

Authors

Soils, Water and Environmet. Res. Institute, Agric. Res. Center, Giza, EGYPT.

Abstract

Kom –Ombo western plain is located in upper Egypt between
longitudes of 32° 38
- and 32° 55- 30= East and latitude of 24° 20- 30= and
24°40
-40=North covering about(215151.9 feddans).Twelve representative
soil profiles of the studied area were chosen on basis of differentiation in
the physiographic units,i.e., river terraces, alluvial fans and wadi bottom.
The studied soil profiles were classified to eight soil families
blonging Aridisols and Entisols orders and four subgroups i.e., Typic
Haplogypsids,Typic Haplocalcids, Typic Torriopsamments and Typic
Torriorthents
.
Concerning land suitablity, the studied soils are affected mainly by
topography, soil texture and salinity/alkalinity as soil lemitation in variable
intensity degrees with moderately and marginally suitable classes. By
exciting the suitable soil improvement practices, the potential capability
classes assessed were highly and moderately suitable.
Land suitability levels were assessed for cultivating group of
proposed crops including annual crops (barley, maize, wheat, sesame,soya,
alfalfa, sorghum, beans, cabbage and carrots) and perennial ones (citrus,
mango and olives). The current suitability was negatively affected by some
soil limitations, which require.
a major improvement concerning soil, salinity, sodicity and fertility
to improve the land suitability to be more profitable potential land
suitability as: (1) Soils of river terraces were moderately suitable (S2) for
sesame, alfalfa, cabbage, olives and marginally suitable (S3) for barley,
wheat, carrots, citrus and mango. (2) Soils of alluvial fans were highly
suitable (S1) for Cabbage; moderately suitable (S2) for maize, sesame,
alfalfa, olives and marginally suitable (S3) for sorghum and mango. (3)
Soils of wadi bottom were highly suitable (S1) for sesame moderately
suitable (S2) for maize, alfalfa, sorghum; cabbage and marginally suitable
(S3) for barley and wheat
.

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