Assessment of Soil Fertility Status under Soil Degradation Rate Using Geomatics in West Nile Delta

Abstract

The presence of a noticeable rate of degradation in the land of the Nile Delta reduces the efficiency of crop production and hinders supply of the increasing demand of its growing population. For this purpose, knowledge of soil resources and their agricultural potential is important for determining their proper use and appropriate management. Thus, we investigated the state of soil fertility by understanding the effect of the physical and chemical properties of the soil and their impact on the state of land degradation for the years 1985, 2002 (ancillary data), and 2021 (our investigation). The study showed that there are clear changes in the degree of soil salinity as a result of agricultural management, water conditions, and climatic changes. The soil fertility is obtained in four classes: Class one (I) represents soils of a good fertility level with an area of about 39%. Class two (II) includes soils of an average fertility level, on an area of about 7%. Class three (III) includes soils with a poor level of fertility, with an area of about 17%. Class four (IV) includes soils of a very poor level of fertility with an area of about 37% of the total area. Principal component analysis (PCA) has revealed that the parameters that control fertility in the studied soils are: C/N, pH, Ca, CEC, OM, P, and Mg. Agro-pedo-ecological units are important units for making appropriate agricultural decisions in the long term, which contribute to improving soil quality and thus increasing the efficiency of soil fertility processes.