![Sample our Environment & Agriculture journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5934/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Environment-Agriculture.jpg"})
Abstract
This study was conducted to examine the spatial variability of soil fertility depending on the level of some selected soil fertility parameters in vertisol developed on the Bafra Deltaic Plain by means of a Soil Fertility Index (SFI) model using a geostatistical program and a geographic information system (GIS) technique. Fifteen soil properties at depths of 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm were evaluated using a SFI model for each georeferenced point. A total of 56 grid points was obtained and 112 soil samples were collected from surface (0–30 cm) and subsurface (30–60 cm) depths at each grid intersection point. A geostatistical method was used to generate a SFI distribution map of the study area for surface and subsurface soils. It was determined that 84.8% of the surface soils in the study area had good fertility, 14.95% were moderately fertile and 0.22% were marginally fertile, while 69.35% of subsurface soils in the study area were fertile, 24.55% were moderately fertile and 5.97% were marginally fertile. The study further showed that, because most of the soil properties had strong spatial dependency, geostatistical modelling is a very useful tool for determining the spatial variability structure and spatial dependency of soil properties. This has applications for efficient farming practices.