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Soil Properties Spatial Variability and Delineation of Site-Specific Management Zones Based on Soil Fertility Using Fuzzy Clustering in a Hilly Field in Jianyang, Sichuan, China

Author

Listed:
  • Mohamed S. Metwally

    (Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
    Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt)

  • Sameh M. Shaddad

    (Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt)

  • Manqiang Liu

    (Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China)

  • Rong-Jiang Yao

    (State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Nanjing 210008, China)

  • Ahmed I. Abdo

    (Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt)

  • Peng Li

    (Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China)

  • Jiaoguo Jiao

    (Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China)

  • Xiaoyun Chen

    (Soil Ecology Lab, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China)

Abstract

Avoiding soil degradation and improving crop productivity could be achieved by performing sustainable soil nutrient management with an appropriate understanding of soil properties’ spatial variability. The present fertilizer recommendations for the region where the study area is located are typically symmetric for large regions. This leads to the under-application of fertilizers in zones with low nutrient contents and over-application in zones with high nutrient contents. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess soil management zones (MZs) in the study area for effective soil nutrient management and to evaluate soil properties’ spatial variability. A total of 100 geo-referenced soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–20 cm, processed and analyzed for pH, available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP), while C:N, C:P and N:P ratios were calculated. Soil properties’ coefficients of variation (CVs) widely varied from low (1.132%) to moderate (45.748%). Ordinary kriging and semi-variogram analysis showed differed spatial variability patterns for the studied soil properties with spatial dependence ranged from weak to strong. MZs were delineated by performing principal component analysis (PCA) and fuzzy K-means clustering. Four PCs with eigen values more than 1 dominated 84.44% of the total variance, so they were retained for clustering analysis. Three MZs were delineated based on the two criteria modified partition entropy (MPE) and fuzzy performance index (FPI). The studied soil properties differed significantly among MZs. Thus, the methodology used for MZ delineation could be used effectively for soil site-specific nutrient management for avoiding soil degradation concurrently with maximizing crop production in the study area.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohamed S. Metwally & Sameh M. Shaddad & Manqiang Liu & Rong-Jiang Yao & Ahmed I. Abdo & Peng Li & Jiaoguo Jiao & Xiaoyun Chen, 2019. "Soil Properties Spatial Variability and Delineation of Site-Specific Management Zones Based on Soil Fertility Using Fuzzy Clustering in a Hilly Field in Jianyang, Sichuan, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:24:p:7084-:d:296512
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sameh Kotb Abd-Elmabod & Noura Bakr & Miriam Muñoz-Rojas & Paulo Pereira & Zhenhua Zhang & Artemi Cerdà & Antonio Jordán & Hani Mansour & Diego De la Rosa & Laurence Jones, 2019. "Assessment of Soil Suitability for Improvement of Soil Factors and Agricultural Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-21, March.
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    2. B. N. Shashikumar & Suresh Kumar & K. Justin George & Abhishek Kumar Singh, 2023. "Soil variability mapping and delineation of site-specific management zones using fuzzy clustering analysis in a Mid-Himalayan Watershed, India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8539-8559, August.
    3. Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh & Esmaeil Bakhshandeh & Mostafa Emadi & Tengfei Li & Ming Xu, 2020. "Integration of PCA and Fuzzy Clustering for Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Cost-Efficiency Analysis in a Citrus Plantation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-17, July.
    4. Antonis V. Papadopoulos & Dionissios P. Kalivas, 2021. "Assessing Soil and Crop Characteristics at Sub-Field Level Using Unmanned Aerial System and Geospatial Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, March.
    5. Kamaluddin T. Aliyu & Alpha Y. Kamara & Jibrin M. Jibrin & Jeroen E. Huising & Bello M. Shehu & Julius B. Adewopo & Ibrahim B. Mohammed & Reuben Solomon & Adam M. Adam & Ayuba M. Samndi, 2020. "Delineation of Soil Fertility Management Zones for Site-specific Nutrient Management in the Maize Belt Region of Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-19, October.
    6. Kai Song & Guangxu Yang & Fei Wang & Jian Liu & Dan Liu, 2020. "Application of Geophysical and Hydrogeochemical Methods to the Protection of Drinking Groundwater in Karst Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-22, May.
    7. Anuj Saraswat & Shri Ram & Mohamed A. E. AbdelRahman & Md Basit Raza & Debasis Golui & Hombegowda HC & Pramod Lawate & Sonal Sharma & Amit Kumar Dash & Antonio Scopa & Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman, 2023. "Combining Fuzzy, Multicriteria and Mapping Techniques to Assess Soil Fertility for Agricultural Development: A Case Study of Firozabad District, Uttar Pradesh, India," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-18, April.

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