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Mapping management zones in a sandy pasture soil using an objective model and multivariate techniques

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Abstract

Soils occupied by dryland pastures usually have low fertility but can exhibit a high spatial variability. Consequently, logical application of fertilisers should be based on an appropriate knowledge of spatial variability of the main soil properties that can affect pasture yield and quality. Delineation of zones with similar soil fertility is necessary to implement site-specific management, reinforcing the interest of methods to identify these homogeneous zones. Thus, the formulation of the objective Rasch model constitutes a new approach in pasture fields. A case study was performed in a pasture field located in a montado (agrosilvopastoral) ecosystem. Measurements of some soil properties (texture, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, cation exchange capacity and soil apparent electrical conductivity) at 24 sampling locations were integrated in the Rasch model. A classification of all sampling locations according to pasture soil fertility was established. Moreover, the influence of each soil property on the soil fertility was highlighted, with the clay content the most influential property in this sandy soil. Then, a clustering process was undertaken to delimit the homogeneous zones, considering soil pasture fertility, elevation and slope as the input layers. Three zones were delineated and vegetation indices (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI, and normalized difference water index, NDWI) and pasture yield data at sampling locations were employed to check their differences. Results showed that vegetation indices were not suitable to detect the spatial variability between zones. However, differences in pasture yield and quality were evident, besides some key soil properties, such as clay content and organic matter.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Junta de Extremadura and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Project GR18086 (Research Group TIC008). It was also funded by National Funds through FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) under the Project UIDB/05183/2020, by the project INNOACE—Innovación abierta e inteligente en la EUROACE (Tarea 2.1.3) and by the projects PDR2020−101-030693 and PDR2020−101-031244 (“Programa 1.0.1-Grupos Operacionais”).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Expresión Gráfica, Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales, Universidad de Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas S/N, 06006, Badajoz, Spain

    F. J. Moral

  2. Departamento de Expresión Gráfica, Escuela de Ingenierías Agrarias, Universidad de Extremadura, Carretera de Cáceres S/N, 06007, Badajoz, Spain

    F. J. Rebollo

  3. Departamento de Engenharia Rural, Escola de Ciências E Tecnologia, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias E Ambientais Mediterrânicas (ICAAM), Universidade de Évora, Apartado 94, 7002-554, Évora, Portugal

    J. M. Serrano

  4. Departamento de Ingeniería, Centro de Investigación Mediterráneo de Economía Y Desarrollo Sostenible (CIMEDES), Universidad de Almería, La Cañada de San Urbano, s/n, 04120, Almería, Spain

    F. Carvajal

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  1. F. J. Moral
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Correspondence to F. J. Moral.

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Moral, F.J., Rebollo, F.J., Serrano, J.M. et al. Mapping management zones in a sandy pasture soil using an objective model and multivariate techniques. Precision Agric 22, 800–817 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-020-09756-w

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