Soil Spatial Distribution Analysis as a Method for Optimal Land Management

Abstract

To effectively manage agricultural fields and select suitable methods for field operations, it is essential to have a basic understanding or access to a database specific to that area. A field study was conducted in the Abu Ghraib area, west of Baghdad, Iraq, to ​​map the spatial distribution of soil properties. Forty-seven soil samples were randomly collected from the area based on land use diversity. The samples were analyzed in the laboratories of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences at the University of Baghdad. ArcMap10.8 software was used to map the spatial distribution of soil properties using the inverse distance weighting method. The results showed that the soil texture is loamy-silty mixed, followed by silty clay and clay. There was variation in the distribution of both salinity and pH along the river channel, ranged 125-136 ds/m and 7.10-9.5 ds/m, respectively. Organic matter and nitrogen content exhibited the same spatial distribution, based on the nature of land use, ranging from 5.5 to 11.9 g/kg and from 6.10 to 14.5 mg/kg, respectively. The abandoned lands exhibited high salinity and alkalinity, along with low organic matter and nitrogen content. As a recommendation, the soil should be managed scientifically to overcome its salinity first. Then, it should be planted with salt-tolerant crops until the land is fully reclaimed and suitable for other crops. Drains are an effective method for draining groundwater and salts to the main drains if the problem is related to the nature of the soil and not due to leaving it uncultivated.