(Icon-Farm, February 12-16, 2008, pp. 6)
Land use planning aims at sustained land income to the stakeholders. With the objectives of developing a pluralistic model integrating available biophysical resources, socio-economic compulsion and market forces, a study was undertaken at Gurabardi micro-watershed, Nagpur. Geomorphometric analysis identified five dominant geomorphic unit cover the watershed, such as, summit crests represented by soils P1 and P6, scarp slopes, P2 and P7, local rises, P9, foot slopes, P3 and P8, toe slopes P4, P5 and P10 with an average elevation of 340 m above MSL. Sorghum, cotton, soybean and pigeon pea and orange orchard are major land use. A transect study was undertaken from two different sides, East and West sides covering all the landforms. A soil geographic relationship was established and soils were mapped and evaluated for suggesting scientific land use. The study reveals that the soils of these area falls under capability class II, class III, class VI and class VII. The class II and III land are occurring on the foot slopes, upper and lower toe slopes are dominated by Lithic Haplustepts to Typic Haplusterts, Class VI land occurs on summit crest & local rise, dominated by Lithic to Typic Ustorthent whereas class VII land occupy in scarp slopes are Lithic Ustorthent. The land evaluation study suggested that Vertisols are moderately suitable, Inceptisols are marginally to moderately suitable and Entisols are temporarily to permanently not suitable for most of the arable crops. When the land requirement for feeding the present population and live stock (as per diet standard chart) was computed, indicated a deficit of 20.94 ha of land for meeting the feed requirement for live stock. The land evaluation study indicates the soils P-1, P-2, P-6, P-7 and P-9 are not suitable for arable crop presently these soils are kept on fallow which can be utilized for livestock, grazing and plantation. Proximity to Nagpur city (< 10 kms) provides a good opportunity for marketing. The soils of P-3, P-4 and P-10, presently are under intensive cultivation of arable crop and orchards. However, the suitability evaluation suggested that these soils are moderately to marginally suitable for sorghum, soybean, cotton and pigeon pea. The cotton growing soils of P-5 and P-8 are Vertisols however P-5 is moderately suitable while P-8 is marginally suitable for cotton because of shallow in depth. There are 27.25 ha land is put under pulse production. Computation suggests that pulse requirement can be met from 19.35 ha with an average productivity indicating a surplus of7.90 ha which can be diverted for oil seed/horticultural crops for better return. The present oil seed (soybean) crop area is 76.10 ha but the oilseed requirement can be met from 8.43 ha of land. The present soybean productivity is 12 q/ha of which is quite above regional average. Considering the proximity of Agril. market and good prevailing price there is scope for increase in soybean production from S-2 and S-3 soils with technology and management inputs to harvest good income from these soils.
