Document Type : Research Article
Authors
ferdowsi university of mashhad
Abstract
Topographic characteristics are considered as important factors for growth and yield of rainfed crops because of the impact on the water distribution and consequently effects on soil physical and chemical properties. No information is available on this subject for North Khorasan province of Iran. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of soil and topographic characteristics on the rainfed wheat yield in Sisab region of North Khorasan province. Surface soil samples and wheat yield data were taken from 100, 1×1 m2 plots on different slope positions from 800 ha of rainfed farms. Sand, silt, clay, gravel, calcium carbonate equivalent, soil organic matter, pH, EC, total nitrogen, available potassium and phosphorus were measured. Primary and secondary topographic derivatives including elevation, slope, aspect, plan curvature, topographic wetness index, sediment transport index and stream power index were calculated from a 30m grid cell size digital elevation model. Multiple regression models were developed between soil and topographic characteristics and yield components. 20 out of 100 samples were used to validate the model prediction. Coefficients of correlation matrix showed that elevation and calcium carbonate equivalent have the strongest correlation with wheat yield components. Soil factors including calcium carbonate percentage and organic matter and topographic indices such as elevation, slope and stream power index were entered into the regression models. Because of non-linear and complex interrelation, the regression models explained only 43% and 40% of total and grain yield variations, respectively. The results of this study showed that although Sisab is located on the border of arid and semiarid climate, the topographic characteristics could affect soil properties and wheat yield components.
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