Land suitability assessment of soils under organic cultivation of CCSHAU, Hisar for improved land use planning

Aim: Evaluation of land capability and soil suitability for organic farming systems in Haryana, India, was conducted to identify critical limitations affecting crop production. Methodology: This study was conducted in rabi season of 2022-23 at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Centre of Excellence for Organic Farming, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, where seven representative soil pedons were selected and subjected to a comprehensive analysis of their morphological and physico-chemical properties. Results: The soils of study area were neutral to alkaline (7.49 to 10.37), non-saline (0.2 to 1.9 dS m-1), calcareous (0.43 to 11.49%), low to medium in soil organic carbon (0.05 to 0.55%). Available N, P and K were low (28.22 to 148.18 kg ha-1), low to medium (4.98 to 15.93 kg ha-1) and low to high (63.84 to 459.20 kg ha-1), respectively. Soils of all the pedons were sufficient in Mn and Cu, but deficient to sufficient in Zn and Fe. Interpretation: According to land capability and soil irrigability classification, soils were classified as I, IIs and IIIes, and S1 and S1d, respectively. Soil analysis indicated a high suitability (S1) for wheat, paddy, sugarcane, vegetables, oilseeds, horticulture and forestry, while maize exhibited moderate suitability (S2) based on established soil suitability criteria.