Agro-ecological zoning of lands in Behshahr county for the cultivation of autumn wheat and barley (Case study: Yaneh-Sar region)

Document Type : scientific research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Agro-technology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Gorgan, Iran.

2 Corresponding author, Professor, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Gorgan, Iran

3 Professor, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Gorgan, Iran

4 Associate Professor, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Sari, Iran

Abstract

Abstract
Introduction and aim: One of the best ways to know the ecological ability of each region is the method of land surveying and evaluating land suitability. By this method, it is possible to determine the suitable area for the cultivation of each plant on a wide scale compared to the laboratory and field methods, and to take steps towards the sustainability of agriculture and prevention of environmental destruction with targeted management principles. This study was conducted with the aim of agro-ecological evaluation of agricultural lands in Behshahr county (Mazandarn province) for the cultivation of wheat and barley using spatial analysis of GIS and AHP in 2020-2021.
Materials and Methods For this purpose, climatic variables (minimum, maximum, average temperatures and annual precipitation), topography (slope, direction and height) and soil characteristics (texture, K, P, Cu, Mn, N, Fe, TNV, organic matter, EC, pH and OC) were used. Thematic maps of each variable were prepared in ArcGIS 10.8, then the final map was produced by assigning AHP weights. The final map was classified into four classes: highly suitable, suitable, semi-suitable and non-suitable.
Results: Based on the obtained results, it was found that the most suitable areas for wheat cultivation are located in the north and northwest regions, respectively, and for barley in the southeast parts of the region. In general, the area of two high suitable and suitable classes for two crops of wheat and barley included 13, 23.5, 35 and 28% of the total area respectively, but the area of semi-suitable and non-suitable classes for two crops were 35 and 59%, respectively. According to the obtained results, climatic conditions, especially rainfall, soil organic matter and topography were the main reasons for this condition.
Conclusion: In this research, it was found that for wheat and barley, 23 and 37% of the studied agricultural lands were suitable for production in terms of topography, soil and climate, and there is no limitation in terms of these variables. In general, among the limiting factors, annual rainfall, low percentage of organic matter and poor soil fertility are identified as the limiting factors for rainfed wheat and barley cultivation in semi-suitable and non-suitable classes.
Keywords: AHP, Barley, Geographical Information System (GIS), Land use suitability, Wheat.

Introduction and aim: One of the best ways to know the ecological ability of each region is the method of land surveying and evaluating land suitability. By this method, it is possible to determine the suitable area for the cultivation of each plant on a wide scale compared to the laboratory and field methods, and to take steps towards the sustainability of agriculture and prevention of environmental destruction with targeted management principles. This study was conducted with the aim of agro-ecological evaluation of agricultural lands in Behshahr county (Mazandarn province) for the cultivation of wheat and barley using spatial analysis of GIS and AHP in 2020-2021.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  1. Abbasi, F., Ehteramian, K., Khazanedari, L., Gharaei, S., & Asmari, M. (2013). Locating the Most Suitable Dry Land Wheat Areas (Case study: North Khorasan Province). Journal of Climate Research, 13, 57-72.
  2. Aymen, A. T., Al-husban, Y., & Farhan, I. (2021). Land suitability evaluation for agricultural use using GIS and remote sensing techniques: The case study of Ma’an Governorate, Jordan. The Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Science, 24(1), 109-117.‏
  3. Bidadi, M. J., Kamkar, B., Abdi, O., & Kazemi, H. (2015). Land Suitability Analysis on Rainfed Wheat Cropping Using Geospatial Information Systems (A Case Study: Qaresoo Basin). Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Sustainable Production, 25(1),131-143. (In Persian)
  4. Corbett, J.D. (1996). The changing face of agro ecosystem characterization: Models and spatial data, the basis for robust agro ecosystem characterization. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on the Integration of GIS and Environmental Modeling, Santa Fe, New Mexico, January. <http://www.sbg.ac.at/geo/idrisi/GIS Environmental modeling/sfpapers/corbett/corbett.htm> (last accessed 08.12.13).
  5. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). (2009). How to Feed the World in 2050; FAO: Rome, Italy.
  6. Farhadiyan Azizi, Sh. Kazemi, H. & Soltani, A. 2018. Agroecological evaluation of Gonbad–e-Kavous township for rainfed wheat cultivation by spatial analysis of GIS. Journal of Crop Production, 11(2), 1-17. doi: 10.22069/ejcp.2018.9934.1778.
  7. Farhadiyan Azizi, Sh., Kazemi, H. Soltani, A. (2019). The occurrence probability estimation of climatic factors affected on rainfed autumn wheat and barley in agricultural lands of Aq-Qala, Kalale and Gonbad Kavous by spatial analysis of GIS. Journal of Crop Production, 12(2), 1-16. doi: 10.22069/ejcp.2019.12388.1961.
  8. Giardini, L., Borin, M., Giupponi, C., & Bonini Baraldi, A. (1997). La classificazione agronomica del territorio: proposta metodologica del sistema CAT II. Genio Rurale, 5, 53-64.‏
  9. Grassano, N., Tedone, L., Verdini, L., & De Mastro, G. (2011). Evaluation of rapeseed cultivation suitability in Apulia with GIS-multicriteria analysis. Italian Journal of Agronomy, 6(2), e16-e16.‏
  10. Halabian, A. H., & Esmaeli, N. (2017). Land suitability evaluation based on the climatic elements for canola cultivation using fuzzy and AHP model in Kordestan. Journal of Environmental Science and Technology,19(4), 133-150. doi: 10.22034/jest.2017.11629
  11. Hanafi, A., & Khushal Dastjerdi, C. (2016). Identification of favorable areas for dry wheat cultivation in Zanjan province based on agricultural climate parameters, Islamic Azad University, Ahar Branch, Geographical Space, 17 (59), 66-47. )In Persian).
  12. Kamkar, B., Dorri, M. A., & Da Silva, J. A. T. (2014). Assessment of land suitability and the possibility and performance of a canola (Brassica napus L.)–soybean (Glycine max) rotation in four basins of Golestan province, Iran. The Egyptian Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Science, 17(1), 95-104.‏
  13. Kazemi, H. (2014). Agroecological zoning of Gorgan agricultural lands for hulless barley cropping base on Boolean logic. Journal of Crop Production, 6(4),165-185. (In Persian)
  14. Kazemi, H., & Akinci, H. (2018). A land use suitability model for rainfed farming by Multi-criteria Decision-making Analysis (MCDA) and Geographic Information System (GIS). Ecological Engineering, 116: 1-6.‏
  15. Kazemi, H., Sadeghi, S., & Akinci, H. (2016). Developing a land evaluation model for faba bean cultivation using geographic information system and multi-criteria analysis (A case study: Gonbad-Kavous region, Iran). Ecological Indicators, 63, 37-47.
  16. Kazemi, H., Tahmasebi Sarvestani, Z., Kamkar, B., Shataei, S., & Sadeghi, S. (2014). Agro-Ecological Zoning of Golestan Province Lands for Soybean Cultivation Using Geographical Information System (GIS). Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production, 23(4), 21-40. )In Persian).
  17. Kılıc, O. M., Ersayın, K., Gunal, H., Khalofah, A., & Alsubeie, M. S. (2022). Combination of fuzzy-AHP and GIS techniques in land suitability assessment for wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivation. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 29(4), 2634-2644.‏
  18. Koocheki, H., Hosseini, M., & Hashemi Dezfooli, A. (2008). Sustainable Agriculture, (Translation), University Jihad Press of Mashhad, 162, )In Persian).
  19. Loboguerrero, A.M., Campbell, B.M., Cooper, P.J.M., Hansen, J.W., Rosenstock, T., & Wollenberg, E. (2019). Food and earth systems, priorities for climate change adaptation and mitigation for agriculture and food systems. Sustainability, 11(5), 1372.
  20. Makhdoom, M. (2012). Land use Planning Fundamental. University of Tehran Press. )In Persian).
  21. Matiei-Langroudi, S. H., Nasiri, H., Azizi, A., & Mustafa, A. (2011). Modeling the ecological capacity of the land from the perspective of agricultural and pasture land uses using the Fuzzy AHP method in the GIS environment, (Case study of Morodasht city). Amish Sarmeen, 4 (6), 101-124. )In Persian), 22059/JTCP.2012.28792.
  22. Mowo, J.G., Janssen, B.H., Oenema, O., German, L.A., Mrema, J.P., & Shemdoe, R.S. (2006). Soil fertility evaluation and management by smallholder farmer communities in northern Tanzania. Agriculture Ecosystem Environment,116, 47–59.
  23. Nasrallhi, N., Kazemi, H., Kamkar, B., & Sadeghi, S. (2015). Agro-ecological assessment of the lands of Aqqla city (Golestan province) for dry wheat cultivation using geographic information system (GIS), Journal of Agriculture, 110, 94-83. )In Persian).
  24. Nazari Viand, F., Koohestani, H., Zarifian, Sh., & Kazemieh, F. (2020). Land suitability assessment for agriculture using analytical hierarchy process in northern parts of Khalkhal county (Case study: Mikaeel abad catchment). Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production, 93(9), 225-239. )In Persian).
  25. Panah Nezhad, V., Ahmadi Sani, N., & Javanmard, A. (2022). Spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis of Ecological Land Suitability for Irrigated Farming. Journal of Agroecology, 14(2), 219-233.) In Persian).
  26. Pellerano, A., Pantaleo, A., Tenerelli, P., & Carone, M. T. (2007). Studio per la valorizzazione energetica di biomasse agroforestali nella Regione Puglia. Dipartimento PROGESA, Università di Bari, Italy, 207.‏
  27. Pirbalouti, A. G. (2009). GIS-based land suitability evaluation for rapeseed oil crop. Journal of Food Agriculture Environment, 7, 837-840.‏
  28. Pourhadian, H. (2021). Land suitability of Lorestan province lands for the second cultivation of forage millet using Geographic Information System (GIS), Network Analysis Process (ANP) and fuzzy logic. Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Sustainable Production, 31(4), 287-302. doi: 10.22034/saps.2021.42810.2576
  29. Pretty, J., Toulmin, C., & Williams, S. (2011). Sustainable intensification in African agriculture. International Journal of Agricultural Sustain, 9, 5–24.
  30. Rahman, R., & Saha, S. K. (2008). Remote sensing, spatial multi criteria evaluation (SMCE) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in optimal cropping pattern planning for a flood prone area. Journal of Spatial Science,53(2),161-177.‏
  31. Raimi, A., Adeleke, R. & Roopnarain, A. (2017). Soil fertility challenges and biofertiliser as a viable alternative for increasing smallholder farmer crop productivity in sub-Saharan Africa.Cogent Food Agriculture, 3, 1400933.
  32. Reshmidevi, T. V., Eldho, T. I., & Jana, R. (2009). A GIS-integrated fuzzy rule-based inference system for land suitability evaluation in agricultural watersheds. Agricultural Systems, 101(1-2), 101-109.‏
  33. Rezvan, S., Kazemi, H., & Ghaderi-Far, F. (2018). Temporal and spatial feasibility of hull-less barley cropping in agricultural lands of Gorgan township. Cereal Research, 8(1), 127-138. doi: 10.22124/c.2018.3133.
  34. Safaripour, M., & Naseri, D. (2019). Ecological Land Capability Evaluation for Agriculture and Range Management Using WLC Method (Case study: Onarchay watershed, Ardabil province). Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 21(8), 113-123. doi: 10.22034/jest.2020.22063.3120.
  35. Stagnari, F., Maggio, A., Galieni, A., Pisante, M. (2017). Multiple benefits of legumes for agriculture sustainability, an overview. Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture,4(2), https://doi.org/10.1186/s40538-016-0085-1
  36. Tarashi, M., Rahemi Karizki, A., Biabani, A., & Salahi Farahi, M. (2020). Land suitability evaluation of Golestan province for planting Pisum sativa based on climatic factors. Iranian Journal Pulses Research, 11(1), 62-73. doi: 10.22067/ijpr.v11i1.70708.
  37. Tavanpour, N., & Asghar Ghaemi, A. (2016). Zoning of Fars Province in Terms of Rain-fed Winter Wheat Cultivation Based on Precipitation and Morphological Factors. Iranian Journal of Irrigation & Drainage, 10(4), 544-555.
  38. Tuanpour, N., & Ghaemi, A.A. (2015). Zoning of Fars province in terms of dry season wheat cultivation based on rainfall parameters and morphological factors, Iranian Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, 4 (10), 555-544, ­)In Persian).
Journal of Plant Production Research
Volume 33, Issue 1
April 2026
Pages 1-25

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics