A Comparative Study of Soil Fertility in Northern Dhi Qar and Its Impact on Wheat Production Using GIS

الملخص

This study was conducted in the northern part of Dhi Qar Governorate, covering the areas of Al-Rifai and Al-Qalat Sukkar, with the aim of evaluating the agricultural fertility of their soils and their suitability for cultivating wheat (Ibaa 99 variety) during the winter season of 2024, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Soil samples were collected from a depth of 0–30 cm prior to planting and subjected to physical and chemical analyses to determine key fertility parameters, including: pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil texture, organic matter content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), calcium carbonate content, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), and the concentrations of N, P, and K.

The standard multiplication method was used to estimate fertility ratings, and fertility maps were generated for each area using ArcGIS Pro. Soil fertility levels were also correlated with wheat productivity and physiological traits, which were measured during the flowering stage. These traits included plant height, leaf area, biological yield, grain yield, 1000-grain weight, and harvest index.

The results showed that Al-Rifai outperformed Al-Qalat Sukkar in terms of soil fertility and recorded higher values in all studied plant parameters. Nitrogen concentrations ranged between 24.1 and 44.4 mg/kg, phosphorus between 10.9 and 20.5 mg/kg, and potassium between 100 and 204 mg/kg.

The findings of this study indicate that variations in soil fertility between locations had a direct impact on wheat productivity. The study recommends the use of GIS technologies as an effective tool for agricultural decision-making and for determining optimal fertilizer recommendations.