Site-specific reclamation maps of a salt affected soil in Ismailia governorate

Abstract EN

Delineation of soil management zones is essential for precision agriculture applications, to know agricultural inputs added to soil.

Geostatistics provides an effective tool for soil spatial variability and delineating management zones.

Spatial variability was done on soil properties to prepare prescription maps for leaching and gypsum requirements (GR) of a salt affected soil.

The performance of the spatial model was evaluated by calculating two different statistics.

Mean error (ME) as a measure of precision and mean square standardized error (MSSE) as a measure of accuracy were calculated.

The developed spatial maps of investigated soil parameters [electrical conductivity (ECe), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) and cation exchange capacity (CEC)] were used to specify 4 zones-prescription maps that need leaching and gypsum requirements.

Results showed that the three models were precise and accurate with ME and MSSE values (-0.110, -0.210, 0.002 and 0.937, 1.033, 1.010), respectively.

Applying site-specific management for leaching proved cost-effective and beneficial effects compared with traditional management which is based on an average value over the experimental field.

The (GR) on basis of traditional management was cost-effective but was not more beneficial because zones 1 and 2 showed GR more than needed and vice versa for zones 3 and 4.

The high cost in this case could be counterbalanced by the expected increased production in zones with high ESP.