Application of Fertility Capability Classification System to the Soils in the Ganjigatti Sub-watershed of Dharwad District, Karnataka

Background: The fertility capability classification (FCC) system has been used to group soils with the same kind of limitations from the point of view of fertility management in the Ganjigatti sub-watershed of Dharwad district of Karnataka. Methods: A detailed soil survey of the study area was carried out using a high-resolution satellite image (Worldview2 - 50cm SR) and cadastral maps. The image and scanned toposheet were geocoded and subsets were created in ArcGIS 10.8.2 at 1:7,920 scale. After correlating the soil properties of pedons, nine representative pedons were selected and presented in the present research paper. The information of nine soil series identified during the detailed soil survey has been analyzed into eight FCC units. Result: According to FCC, the representative pedons were classified as CRdmr+(MRK), LCdkr++ (UGK), LRdr++ (KMD), LRdemr+ (SSK), Cdr+ (KRK and MVD), LCdkr+ (BGH), Ldr+ (GJG) and Cbdmv (ASR). The major soil constraints identified through condition modifiers in the descending order were dry soil moisture (d), gravelliness (r), low organic carbon content (m), low K reserve (k), low cation exchange capacity (e), basic reaction (b) and vertic properties (v). By computing FCC units an attempt has been made to highlight the fertility constraints and measures to revert the situation for sustainable production.