Evaluation of spatial variability of soil properties based on geostatistical analysis:Acase study in lower Shivaliks

Analysis and interpretation of spatial variability of soil properties is a keystone in site-specific management. The objective of this study was to determine the degree of spatial variability of selected soil properties with kriging. Spatial distribution of 6 soil properties eg. pH, EC, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were examined in an experimental field at Mansa Devi Research Farm of Central Soil and Water Conservation Research and Training Institute, Research Centre at Panchkula district of Haryana located at lower Shivalik region of India. Soil samples were collected at 25 m X 25 m grid at 0–30 cm depth. All the selected soil parameters were strongly spatially dependent, but the range of spatial dependence was found to vary within soil parameters. Available P had the shortest range of spatial dependence, whereas pH and organic carbon had the longest. The sampling distance good enough for interpolating pH, EC, organic carbon, available N, P and K were 117.8 m, 117.6 m, 117.8 m, 53.10 m, 47.70 m and 112.8 m, respectively, in the study area. Among different theoretical models tested, the Gaussian model was found as the best fit in cases of pH, EC and available K. In case of available N and P, spatial variation was best described by the Hole effect model whereas exponential model was the best for organic carbon.