IDENTIFICATION OF MINIMUM DATA SET FOR SOIL QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN UPPER KRISHNA PROJECT AREA

N.K. RAJESHKUMAR¹*, P. BALAKRISHNAN², K. NAVEENA³, K.S. BHARATH KUMAR^4
1Department of Soil and Water Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur 584 104, Karnataka
²Department of Soil and Water Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur 584 104, Karnataka
³Department of Soil and Water Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur 584 104, Karnataka
⁴Department of Soil and Water Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur 584 104, Karnataka
* Corresponding Author : rajeshmtechster@gmail.com

Received : 05-10-2016     Accepted : 19-11-2016     Published : 30-11-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 58       Pages : 3184 - 3188
Int J Agr Sci 8.58 (2016):3184-3188

Keywords : Soil quality index, Minimum data set, Normalized scoring function
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : The authors are grateful to the Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, GoI for the project funded under the Young Scientist Scheme to the Senior Author and also to the authorities of the UAS Raichur, Karnataka for extending research facility and support in the conduct of the present investigation
Author Contribution : None declared

Assessment of soil quality index is one of the most important factor for Agricultural production because of salinity and alkalinity in the irrigation command areas. For this reason, a minimum data set (MDS) was determined with principle component analysis (PCA) for soil quality assessment in irrigation command areas based on normalized scoring function. The results found that the among the all the reaches the middle reach transition soils found best suitable for crop production with highest soil quality index of 0.874 and 0.826 in middle reach compare to 0.710 and 0.560 in head reach, 0.632 and 0.364 in tail reach command area of laterals-1 and 2. Therefore, best management practices should follow in head reach with respect to increase the water holding capacity in sandy soils and to solve drainage problems in tail reach clay soils The result of this study throw a light on general guideline to manage irrigation command area of UKP..