Qualitative and Economic Land Suitability Evaluation for Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in Sloping Area of Guilan, Iran

In the present study and research work, land suitability evaluation (qualitative and economic classification) has been determined for tea in an area including 5000 ha in sloping lands of Guilan province in Iran. In the study area, eight soil series and three orders (Inceptisols, Entisols and Alfisols) were identified. The simple limitation method, the limitation method regarding number and intensity and the parametric methods including the Square root and the Storie methods were used for qualitative land suitability evaluation. Results of first and second methods showed similar marginally suitability classes (S3). According to these methods, the most important limiting factors were climate, topography and physical soil characteristics. Moreover, results of Storie method showed unsuitable condition for tea cultivation (N2), except one land unit, which had non-suitable but correctable conditions (N1). In addition, results of Square root method showed unsuitable condition for one and non-suitable conditions but correctable for six land units and just one land unit had marginally suitable land classes. Economic land suitability evaluation showed that four land units had marginally suitability, three land units had moderately suitability (S2), and only one of them had the highest class (S1) and the best gross benefits. Sloping area in Guilan used to be covered by forest, but regarding to the highly destruction of plant cover and deforestation in order to tea cultivation, an intensive erosion in the area is predict to happen in future.

[1]  David G. Rossiter,et al.  Economic land evaluation : why and how , 1995 .

[2]  K. Sys,et al.  Physical land evaluation using a parametric method. Application to oil palm plantations in North Sumatra, Indonesia. , 1988 .

[3]  A. Akbarzadeh,et al.  Qualitative and quantitative land suitability evaluation for olive (Olea europaea L.) production in Roodbar region, Iran. , 2009 .

[4]  K. Steiner,et al.  Soil suitability classification by farmers in southern Rwanda , 1997 .

[5]  G. Gee,et al.  Particle-size Analysis , 2018, SSSA Book Series.

[6]  A. Braimoh,et al.  Land use and soil resources , 2008 .

[7]  Anònim Anònim.  Keys to Soil Taxonomy , 2010 .

[8]  G. W. Thomas.  Soil pH and Soil Acidity , 1996, SSSA Book Series.

[9]  M. Albaji,et al.  Qualitative evaluation of land suitability for principal crops in the Gargar Region, Khuzestan Province, Southwest Iran. , 2009 .

[10]  W. P. Miller,et al.  Cation Exchange Capacity and Exchange Coefficients , 2018, SSSA Book Series.

[11]  K. H. Hartge,et al.  Bulk Density , 2018, SSSA Book Series.

[12]  Evaluation of some soils in South‐Western Nigeria for arable crop production , 1993 .

[13]  A. Klute.  Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Physical and mineralogical methods. , 1988 .

[14]  D. Sparks,et al.  Methods of soil analysis. Part 3 - chemical methods. , 1996 .

[15]  J. Rhoades.  Salinity: Electrical Conductivity and Total Dissolved Solids , 2018, SSSA Book Series.

[16]  T. Allen.  Particle size analysis by image analysis , 2003 .

[17]  A. Jafarzadeh,et al.  Qualitative land suitability evaluation for the growth of onion, potato, maize, and alfalfa on soils of the Khalat pushan research station , 2006, Biologia.

[18]  和田 秀徳,et al.  International Training Center for Post-Graduate Soil Scientistsに参加して , 1965 .

[19]  F. Khormali,et al.  Tea yield and soil properties as affected by slope position and aspect in Lahijan area, Iran , 2012 .

[20]  Samir M. Khiddir.  A statistical approach in the use of parametric systems applied to the FAO framework for land evaluation , 1986 .

[21]  Deli Chen,et al.  A quantitative evaluation system of soil productivity for intensive agriculture in China , 2004 .