Soil Characterization and Land Suitability Assessment for Agricultural Research Farm in Kassala State (Sudan)

Abstract

The agricultural research station at kassala state is conducting applied research on the crops anticipated and adapted to the research farm, as well as to the areas neighboring the farm, in addition to farming practices suitable for kassala state. Accordingly the research station has to investigate the soil potentials and limitations constraining crop production in order to be suitable for extrapolating Management technical specification packages to those concern with agriculture Planning and management implementation in this regard this study was carried, characterize the soil physic-chemical properties and eventually designate their suitability for crop production based on field morphological features and laboratory analysis. The present research findings aim at elaborating on soil physical and chemical properties characterizing soil map units showing spatial distribution and extent in feddans, as well as assigning suitable classes for relevant crop cultivars, in addition to earmarking soil potentials that would furnished rational recommendation for both in farm site applications and also in kassala wide farming operations. The farm site was demarcated on paper print of land satellite imagery where soil Profile pits and auger site where allocated based on image interpretation. Soil profiles were dug to depths ranging from 150-200 cm, while only supporting augur holes were used for sampling at fixed depth intervals of 0-30 and 30-60 cm. Soil physical and chemical properties were tabulated accompanied by field morphological descriptions. The soil morphological descriptions indicated two kinds of soils. In consistent with variations in textures being sandy clay loams, silt loams and clay loams. These variations are apparently due to interpreted depositional sequence that brought about alluvial sediments of the Gash Delta. Soil structures are dominated by strong to medium platy. Soil fertility status is very low having low to very low cation exchange capacity (CEC). These soils are non saline and non sodic. The two soil map units are classified as highly suitable (S2f) and with fertility and physical limitations (S2ft).