CHARACTERISTICES, CLASSIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF SOILS IN THE AREA SOUTHEAST EL-SADAT CITY, MENOUFIA GOVERNORATE, EGYPT

Abstract

The current work was performed in 2019 aiming to study the geomorphological and pedological characteristics as well as classification and capability evaluation for soils in the area southeastern El-Sadat City, Menoufia governorate, Egypt. The study area is located at the western side of the Nile-Delta in the east of Cairo-Alexandria desert highway adjacent to the Rashid branch of the River Nile, Menoufia governorate, Egypt. The integration of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques was used to achieve this work. The geomorphic map produced by processing and identifying the Landsat image using RS and GIS technology indicated that,the studied area has three main geomorphic units with different landforms.These three main units are 1) Alluvial Plain includes three landforms namely: High Terraces (17.33% of the studied area), Moderate Terraces (5.87%) and Low Terraces (11.48%); 2) Pediplain with two landforms namely: High Terraces (16.22 %) and Low Terraces (12.47%); 3) as well as Aeolian Plain with three landforms namely: High Terraces (7.08%), Moderate Terraces (4.97%) and Low Terraces (24.58%).   Nineteen soil profiles were chosen to represent the different geomorphic and landform units.The land and site features are observed and registered. Thesoil profiles were dug, morphologically described, and then samples were collected representing the subsequent layers in each profile for integrated physical and chemical analyses. Also, irrigation water samples were collected and analyzed especially for land capability evaluation. The studied area has almost flat to slightly undulated topography. Soils were deep to very deep where they were well drained. Most of the soils have gravely sand to gravely loamy sand texture except the soils of low Alluvial plain terraces that have clay loam texture. The analytical data revealed that, the studied soils are slightly to moderately alkaline, mostly non-saline and haven’t sodicity effect. Few parts showed a sodic horizon feature. The soils are slightly to moderately calcareous having Low gypsum and Organic matter contents. Most of the soils haven't any diagnostic horizons, therefore they were classified under Entisols. The few soils having sodic horizon were classified under Aridisols. The land capability evaluation indicated that, most of the studied soils (92.18%) are affiliated to the Fair, C3 class. Rest of the soils are classified either as a Good capability class, C2, (4.52%), or as a Poor capability class, C4 (3.30%).