Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, 21545 El-Shatby, Alexandria, Egypt.
Abstract
In the light of continued population growth and increased congestion in the old Nile Valley and Delta, the need for land reclamation of the desert areas in Egypt appears inevitable. This study attempted to investigate the best agricultural land use for a new land area in the Southeastern sector of Siwa oasis based on its soil characteristics and irrigation water quality. The fieldwork was carried out during the year 2013 where soil and groundwater samples were collected for different analyses. The agricultural land use suitability was assessed using ALESarid-GIS. The main soil characteristics showed high variability where soil salinity, soil alkalinity (ESP, %), total carbonate content, and soil depth ranged from 0.52 to 208 dS m-1, from 8.04 to 91.54%, from 14.33 to 70.1 %, and from 20 to 200 cm, respectively. The study area was represented by seven soil mapping units according to soil depth, salinity and sodicity criteria. Groundwater analysis showed high salinity hazards with low sodium hazards (C3S1). Results of ALESarid-GIS analysis showed that most of the studied area is highly to moderately suitable (S1 to S2) for alfalfa, wheat, barley, sugar beet, and onion, while most of the area is marginally to conditionally suitable (S3 to S4) for pear, date palm, sunflower, cotton, fig, olive, sorghum, and grape in the order indicated. The dominant limiting parameters affecting land suitability for different crops are coarse soil texture, soil salinity, soil permeability, and exchangeable sodium percent. The outcomes of this research represent a valuable resource for governmental agencies concerned about land reclamation projects along with sustainable agricultural development in Siwa oasis.
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