Delineation of salt-affected soils through digital analysis of Landsat MSS data

Abstract Landsat MSS digital data over parts of Uttar Pradesh (Northern India) covering an area of 60243 km2 were analysed on an interactive multispectral data analysis system (MDAS) to delineate salt-affected soils. Based on the spectral response of these soils and subsequent correlation in the field by studying terrain characteristics and soil profiles, two categories of salt-affected soils that require different management practices, namely, Typic Natrustalfs, and an association of Typic Natraqualfs and Aquic Natrustalfs, could be delineated. Both the soils are saline-sodic in nature and occur in 615 and 2.75 per cent of the whole area, respectively. Besides these salt-affected soils, other categories such as normal soils, forests, water bodies, river sand, gullies and ravines were also mapped.