Sathish, A., Prabhakar, K.S., Badrinath, M.S.
Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre,
Dept.of IT and BT,
Govt. of Karnataka,
Bangalore, Karnataka,
India
Honne Gowda H
University of Agricultural Sciences,
GKVK, Bangalore,
Karnataka,
India
Abstract
In order to meet the demand of food grain production the available resources are being indiscriminately used leading to degradation of the scarce natural resource i.e., LAND. It is necessary to protect this resource and maintain sustainability in agricultural production. This calls for quick and reliable inventory of information on land resources.
Hence, remote sensing techniques were employed in Pavagada taluk, Tumkur district of Southern Karnataka, India, to carry out soil resources inventory. IRS 1C LISS III imagery dated 18th January 2000 was visually interpreted in conjunction with toposheets to generate physiography map, for use in filed soil survey. Soil map was prepared based on the morphological and physico-chemical properties of soils. Based on the information thus generated along with the collateral data such as meteorological data, socio-economic data and crop yield data Land capability and land irrigability classification was derived in different mapping units of the taluk using Arc View 3.2a GIS software.
The soils of the taluk has been classified under land capability classes viz., II, III, IV, VI and VIII which were divided into sub classes according to the main limitation for land use such as erosion, soil and climate and land irrigability classes viz., 2, 3, 4 and 6 with sub classes showing major limitations like shallow depth, poor drainage, steep slopes and poor quality water. A maximum of 24.96 per cent of the total area was classified under moderately good to stony areas with shallow depth and erosion problems followed by rocky lands (12.90%) and moderately good lands (12.33%) with root zone limitation. Good to moderately good irrigable lands with moderately good drainage and shallow soils were noticed in about 12.33 per cent of total area. Moderately good to marginally good irrigable lands with steep slopes and shallow soils cover 24.96 per cent of total area followed by non irrigable lands with steep slopes and shallow soils (12.90%) mostly in the rocky areas.
Hence, if one uses the land based on the land capability and irrigability, then degradation of natural resources can be minimized and agricultural sustainability shall be attained.
