Suitability Evaluation for Cultivation of Cotton in Ganjigatti Sub-watershed of Karnataka using GIS, Remote Sensing and Detailed Survey

Background: The results of soil-crop suitability evaluation could serve as baseline information for identifying specific soil resource constraints to ensure the sustainable production of cotton in the study area. Methods: A detailed soil resource inventory of the Ganjigatti sub-watershed was carried out and 21 series mapped into sixty-one (61) mapping units (phases) by using ArcGIS version 10.8, based on surface texture, depth, slope, erosion, gravelines and stoniness. Result: The majority area of the sub-watershed was not suitable (N) for cotton cultivation due to very severe limitations in rooting depth, gravelines, CaCO3 content and slope percentage, which occupies 3170 ha of the sub-watershed (73.31% of TGA). The area under moderate (S2) and marginally suitable (S3) for cotton crop was 242 ha (5.61% of TGA) and 539 ha (12.46% of TGA), respectively.