Soil productivity assessment of El-Fayoum depression, Egypt, using remote sensing and GIS

Soil productivity is a major concern in soil science. The current study was conducted to evaluate the productivity of soils in El-Fayoum Governorate of Egypt. The study area covers 228145 ha. It consists of eleven major geomorphic units: high old terraces (HOT), moderately high old terraces (MHOT), moderate old terraces (MOT), low old terraces (LOT), alkali flat (AF), overflow basin (OB), decantation basin (DB), high recent river terrace (HRT), moderate recent river terraces (MRT), low recent river terraces (LRT), and sand dunes (SD). 33 soil profiles representing the different geomorphological units were excavated in the study area. Requier land productivity index (RLPI) was used to classify soil productivity. About 83% of the total area are of excellent and good classes (I and II). Class III represents 12.1% of the total area, whereas 4.4 % are poor class IV. The remaining of the area (0.5 %) are of very poor class V.