Land capability and suitability assessment of arid and semi-arid soils in southern region of Haryana, India for improved land use planning https://doi.org/10.21276/AATCCReview.2025.13.04.906 Krisanu Golui https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0904-1629 Dinesh tomar https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0906-7418 Pankaj Kumar https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0735-4614 Mohammed Amin Bhat https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7122-877X Ankit Singh https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7342-6864 Diksha Saroha https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9918-6279 Manoj Saini https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9405-9436 Atul Sharma https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9199-1430 Ankush https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0039-8772 Background: The practical application aspect of soil survey lies inland capability and suitability assessment. However, this remains challenging due to high spatial variability in soil properties, complex geomorphic settings, and multiple interacting edaphic constraints.Aim: The present study aimed to determine the constraints on crop production by evaluating the capability and suitability characteristics of semi-arid to arid soils of southern Haryana. Methodology: The study was conducted in the Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana during 2022-23, where five typical pedons, viz. Asawari (P1), Govindpura (P2), Bond Khurd (P3), Ranila (P4) and Loharwara (P5), representing major landforms, were excavated and examined for morphological and physico-chemical properties following standard procedures. Key-results: The studied pedons exhibited neutral to alkaline reactions (pH 7.31-8.87), non-saline to slightly saline top soil (EC 0.07-0.52 dS m-1) and low to medium organic carbon content (0.07-0.57%). Available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were low (21.95-195.65 kg ha-1), low to medium (4.00-15.42 kg ha-1) and low to high (80.67-533.78 kg ha-1), respectively. The distribution of exchangeable cations followed the sequence Ca2+>Mg2+>Na+>K+. Soils were deficient to marginal in Zn, deficient in Fe, marginal to sufficient Cu and sufficient in Mn. Interpretation: According to LCC and irrigation suitability, soils were classified as IIs, IIIe, IIIes and IVsw, and S2s, S2n, S3sand S3ds, respectively. The soils were marginally suitable (S3) for cotton and wheat, moderately (S2) to marginally suitable (S3) for pearl millet, gram and forestry, and generally suitable (S1) to moderately suitable (S2) for guar and oilseed (raya).Conclusion: Thus, this study contributes a pedon-based, integrated evaluation framework combining soil morphology, fertility, land capability, irrigation suitability, and multivariate analysis, providing site-specific recommendations for sustainable land use planning in arid to semi-arid agroecosystems.

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Original Research Article
Krisanu Golui1 Dinesh tomar1 Pankaj Kumar1 Mohammed Amin Bhat2 Ankit Singh1 Diksha Saroha1,3 Manoj Saini1 Atul Sharma4 Ankush4
1 Department of Soil Science, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004, Haryana, India
1,3 ICAR- Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal-132 001, Haryana, India
2 Regional Research Station, Punjab Agricultural University, SBS Nagar-144 521, Punjab, India
4 Collage of Agriculture, Bawal, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004, Haryana, India
https://doi.org/10.21276/AATCCReview.2025.13.04.906

Abstract

Background: The practical application aspect of soil survey lies inland capability and suitability assessment. However, this remains challenging due to high spatial variability in soil properties, complex geomorphic settings, and multiple interacting edaphic constraints.Aim: The present study aimed to determine the constraints on crop production by evaluating the capability and suitability characteristics of semi-arid to arid soils of southern Haryana. Methodology: The study was conducted in the Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana during 2022-23, where five typical pedons, viz. Asawari (P1), Govindpura (P2), Bond Khurd (P3), Ranila (P4) and Loharwara (P5), representing major landforms, were excavated and examined for morphological and physico-chemical properties following standard procedures. Key-results: The studied pedons exhibited neutral to alkaline reactions (pH 7.31-8.87), non-saline to slightly saline top soil (EC 0.07-0.52 dS m-1) and low to medium organic carbon content (0.07-0.57%). Available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were low (21.95-195.65 kg ha-1), low to medium (4.00-15.42 kg ha-1) and low to high (80.67-533.78 kg ha-1), respectively. The distribution of exchangeable cations followed the sequence Ca2+>Mg2+>Na+>K+. Soils were deficient to marginal in Zn, deficient in Fe, marginal to sufficient Cu and sufficient in Mn. Interpretation: According to LCC and irrigation suitability, soils were classified as IIs, IIIe, IIIes and IVsw, and S2s, S2n, S3sand S3ds, respectively. The soils were marginally suitable (S3) for cotton and wheat, moderately (S2) to marginally suitable (S3) for pearl millet, gram and forestry, and generally suitable (S1) to moderately suitable (S2) for guar and oilseed (raya).Conclusion: Thus, this study contributes a pedon-based, integrated evaluation framework combining soil morphology, fertility, land capability, irrigation suitability, and multivariate analysis, providing site-specific recommendations for sustainable land use planning in arid to semi-arid agroecosystems.

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