LAND CAPABILITY CLASSIFICATION

LAND CAPABILITY CLASSIFICATION

1. Land capability classification Presented by: Haramohan rath Debasis Das Ph. D Scholar ( Deptt.of Agronomy) CoA,IGKV,Raipur (C.G)

2. Land capability classification Land capability classification (LCC) may be defined as a system of grouping land in to various classes based on inherent limitations imposed on sustained use by soil attributes, topography, drainage and climate. The guiding principle underlying LCC is “use land according to its capability and treat it as per its need”. It was developed by USDA.

3. NEED FOR LAND CAPABILITY CLASSIFICATION The classification of land is quite essential and rather a pre-requisite in any land-use planning and development. It relates to climatic factors, soil characteristics, slope and degree of erosion, water supply and drainage and similar environmental conditions affecting Land-use and productivity. It enables us to predict as how different soils can be utilised with safety according to the qualification of class or sub-class into which they are placed.

4. The Capability Classification provides three major categories of soil grouping ( i ) Capability unit (ii) Capability classes (iii) Capability sub-classes

5. Capability unit Capability Unit is a grouping of one or more individual soil-mapping units having similar potentials and continuing limitations or hazards. Capability unit condenses and simplifies soils information for planning individual tracts of land, field by field Capability units are classified into class and sub-class to furnish information about the degree of limitation kind of conservation problems and the management practices needed.

6. Capability classes The soil conservation service of the U.S. Dept, of Agriculture classified lands into eight Capability classes on the basis of the topographic situations which are as follows:

7. Land Class I Soils in land class I have either no or only slight, permanent limitations or risks of damage. They are very good. They can be cultivated safely with ordinary good farming methods. The soils are deep, productive, easily worked, and nearly level. However, they are subject to fertility and puddle erosion. Class I soils used for crops needed practices to maintain soil fertility and soil structure. These practices involve use of fertilizers and lime, cover and green manure crops, crop residues and crop rotations.

8. Land Class II Class II consists of soils, subject to moderate limitations in use. They are subject to moderate risks of damage. They are good soils. They can be cultivated with easily applied practices. Soils in class II differ from class I in number of ways. They differ mainly because of they have gentle slopes a subject to moderate erosion, are of moderate depths are subject to occasional overflows, and are in need of drainage. These soils may require special practices such as soil conserving rotations, water-control devices or special tillage methods. They frequently need a combination of practices.

9. Land Class III Soils in class III are subject to severe limitations in use ofcropland . They are subject to severe risks or damages. They are moderately good soils. They can be used regularly forcrops , provided they are planted according to good rotations and given the proper treatment. Soils in this class have moderately steep, slopes and are subject to more sever erosion. They are inherently low in fertility.

10. Class III soil is more limited or subject to greater risks than the class II. These limitations often restrict the choice of crops or the timing of planting and tillage operations. These soils require cropping systems that produce adequate plant cover. The cover is needed to protect soil from erosion. It also helps to preserve soil structure. Hay or fodder crops should be grown instead of regular cultivating crops

11. Land Class IV Class IV land is composed of soils, which have very severe permanent limitations or hazards if used for cropland. The soils are fairly good. They may be cultivated occasionally if handled with great care for the most part. Soils in class IV have unfavourable characteristics. They are frequently on steeps slopes and subject to severe erosion. They are restricted in their suitability for crop use. They should usually be kept in hay or pasture, although a grain crop may be grown once in five or six years.

12. Land Class V Soils in class V should be kept in permanent vegetation. They should be used for pasture or forestry. . Cultivation is not feasible, however, because of wetness or other limitations. The land is nearly level. It is subject to only slight erosion by wind or water, if properly managed. Grazing should be regulated so that plant cover is maintained.

13. Land Class VI Class VI soil should be used for grazing and forestry and may have moderate hazards when in use. They are subject to moderate permanent limitations and are unsuited for cultivation. They are steep, or shallow. Grazing should not be permitted to destroy the plant cover. Class VI land is capable of producing forage or woodland products when properly managed. If the plant cover has been destroyed, the soils use should be restricted until cover is re-established.

14. Land Class VII Soils in class VII are subject to severe permanent limitations or hazards when used for grazing or forestry. They are steep, eroded rough, shallow, droughty or swampy. They are either fair or poor for grazing or forestry and must be handled with care. Where rainfall is ample, land should be used for woodland. In other areas it should be for grazing.

15. Land Class VIII Soils in class VIII are rough even for woodland or grazing. They should be used for wildlife, recreation or watershed uses

16. Capability sub-classes Within some of the main classes smaller sub-classes are used to specify particular problems. These are applied only to classes II, III and IV. Class codes e, w, s, and c are used for land capability subclasses.

17. Subclass e ( erosion hazards) It is soils for which the susceptibility to erosion is the dominant problem or hazard affecting their use. Erosion susceptibility and past erosion damage are the major soil factors that affect soils in this subclass.

18. Subclass w(wetness) Subclass w is made up of soils for which excess water is the dominant hazard or limitation affecting their use. Poor soil drainage, wetness, a high water table, and overflow are the factors that affect soils in this subclass .

19. Subclass s ( limitations of the soil ) Subclass s is made up of soils that have soil limitations within the rooting zone, such as shallowness of the rooting zone, stones, low moisture-holding capacity, low fertility that is difficult to correct, and salinity or sodium content.

20. Subclass c (climate) Subclass c is made up of soils for which the climate (the temperature or lack of moisture) is the major hazard or limitation affecting their use.