Qualitative Land Suitability Evaluation for Wheat and Barley Crops in Khorasan-Razavi Province, Northeast of Iran

Land evaluation is applicable both in areas where there is strong competition between existing land uses in highly populated zones as well as in zones that are largely undeveloped. In the present study, the qualitative land suitability evaluation based on parametric approach of multi criteria method was investigated for selected crops, including wheat, maize, and cotton, based on FAO land evaluation frame works in 39 plains of Khorasan-Razavi, northeast of Iran. Climatic and land qualities/characteristics for selected crops were determined using the tables of crop and land evaluation. On this basis some 15 soil physical and chemical parameters from 33 soil profiles were collected and interpolated ArcGIS ver.9.3 for preparing the qualitative land suitability evaluation maps. The interpolated qualitative land suitability maps for both crops were finally divided into 39 plain polygons of Khorasan-Razavi after the ArcGIS zonal statistic extension. The results of land suitability evaluation for wheat and barley crops revealed that the plains of the study area belong to land classes from moderately suitable (S2) to currently non-suitable (N1). The results of qualitative land suitability evaluation for selected crops indicated the priority of barley cultivation over wheat at the study area.