Soil Mapping

Soil mapping is a process of creating a detailed inventory of soils in a particular area.

It involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data about soil characteristics,
including its physical, chemical and biological properties. It involves the use of remote
sensing technologies, such as satellite imagery, airborne sensors, and ground-based sensors,
along with geographical information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) to
collect, analyze and display data about soil characteristics. The data are then used to create
soil maps, which provide information about the spatial distribution and variability of different
soil types and their properties.
Soil mapping is an essential tool for precision agriculture as it helps to identify
variations in soil properties within a field, which in turn allows farmers to create more
accurate and effective fertilizer and irrigation management plans. By understanding the
variability in soil properties, farmers can apply fertilizers and other inputs only where and
when they are needed, reducing costs, and minimizing the environmental impact of
agricultural activities.
Soil mapping can also help farmers to identify potential yield-limiting factors, such as
soil compaction, acidity, and nutrient deficiencies, and make management decisions that
improve soil health and overall productivity. By utilizing soil maps, farmers can implement
more targeted and efficient agricultural practices that improve soil quality, increase crop
yields, and reduce inputs.
 Soil maps are required on different scales varying from 1:1 million to 1:4,000 to meet
the requirements of planning at various levels.
 As the scale of a soil map has direct correlation with the information content and field
investigations that are carried out, small scale soil maps of 1:1 million are needed for
macro-level planning at national level.
 Soil maps at 1:250,000 scale provide information for planning at regional or state
level with generalised interpretation of soil information for determining the suitability
and limitations for several agricultural uses and requires less intensity of soil
observations and time.
 Soil maps at 1:50,000 scale where association of soil series are depicted, serve the
purpose for planning resources conservation and optimum land use at district level
and require moderate intensity of observations in the field.
 Large scale soil maps at 1:8,000 or 1:4,000 scale are specific purpose maps which can
be generated through high intensity of field observations based on maps at 1:50,000
scale of large scale aerial photographs or very high resolution satellite data.
 Similarly, information on degraded lands like salt affected soils, eroded soils,
waterlogged areas, jhum lands (shifting cultivation) etc. is required at different scales
for planning strategies for reclamation and conservation of degraded lands.
Some of the uses of soil mapping in agriculture include:
1. Crop yield prediction: Soil maps can be used to predict crop yields by identifying areas
with high-quality soil and determining the appropriate fertilizer and irrigation
requirements.
2. Precision agriculture: Soil maps can be used to apply fertilizers and pesticides more
precisely, reducing waste and increasing efficiency.
3. Land use planning: Soil maps can be used to identify areas that are suitable for different
land uses, such as agriculture, forestry, or conservation.
4. Soil conservation: Soil maps can be used to identify areas that are prone to erosion or
other forms of degradation, allowing for targeted conservation efforts.
Applications of soil mapping through remote sensing:
1. Remote Sensing for Soil and Land Degradation Mapping:
 Conventional surveys are subjective, time consuming and laborious
 Remote sensing speeded up the conventional soil survey programmes
 Aerial photography and satellite data reduced the field work with respect to locating
soil types and boundaries owing to synoptic view
2. Soil Mapping methods:
 Topographic variations as the base for depicting soil variability
 Multispectral satellite data is being used for mapping soil upto family association
level (1:50000)
3. Visual Image Interpretation:
 It is based on shape, size, tone, shadow, texture, pattern, site and association
 This is relatively simple and inexpensive
 Several workers have concluded that remote sensing technology provides better
efficiency at 1:50000 and detailed at 1:10000 scale of mapping
4. Computer Aided Approach
 Numerical analysis of remote sensing data utilising the Computers has been
developed because of requirement to analyse faster and extract information from the
large quantities of data.
 Computer aided techniques utilise the spectral variations for classification.
 Pattern recognition in remote sensing assists in identification of homogeneous areas,
which can be used as a base for carrying out detailed field investigations and
generating models between remote sensing and field parameters.
 Major problem with conventional soil survey and soil cartography is accurate
delineation of boundary. Field observations based on conventional soil survey are
tedious and time consuming.
 Remote sensing data in conjunction with ancillary data provide the best alternative,
with a better delineation of soil mapping units.
Fertilizer recommendation using geospatial technologies
Fertilizer recommendation using geospatial technologies is one of the applications of
precision agriculture. In this technique, geospatial technologies such as GIS, remote sensing,
and GPS are used to gather data on soil fertility, crop requirements, and weather conditions to
make informed decisions about fertilizer application. This helps to optimize fertilizer use,
reduce waste, and minimize environmental impacts.
To use geospatial technologies for fertilizer recommendation, various types of data
are collected and analyzed. For example, soil samples are collected and analyzed to
determine the soil's nutrient levels, pH, organic matter content, and texture. These data are
then combined with information on crop requirements and weather conditions to generate
fertilizer recommendations that are tailored to specific areas of the field.
Geospatial technologies also allow for the creation of detailed fertilizer application
maps, which show the recommended amount and placement of fertilizer across the field.
These maps can be uploaded to precision application equipment, such as variable rate
fertilizer spreaders, which can apply the correct amount of fertilizer in each location based on
the map.
GIS is used to create a digital map of the fields, which includes information on soil
properties, topography, and crop yield potential. Remote sensing data, including satellite and
aerial imagery, can be used to identify variability in crop growth and soil health. This
information is then used to develop a prescription for the application of fertilizers.
Variable rate application (VRA) is a precision agriculture technique that allows the
application of fertilizers at varying rates across the field based on the nutrient requirements of
the soil and crops. VRA systems can be controlled by GPS technology and can be used with a
variety of application equipment such as sprayers and fertilizer spreaders.
Benefits: The use of geospatial technologies for fertilizer recommendation has several
benefits. It helps in:
 Reducing fertilizer wastage
 Minimising the risk of nutrient runoff
 Increasing crop yield
 Identifying nutrient deficiencies in the soil, which can be corrected by targeted
application of fertilizers.
However, there are some challenges associated with the use of geospatial technologies for
fertilizer recommendation. These include the
 Initial cost of the technology
 Need for skilled professionals to manage the technology
 Need for accurate and up-to-date data.