IAPRS & SIS, Vol.34, Part 7, “Resource and Environmental Monitoring", Hyderabad, India, 2002 
  
A REMOTE SENSING APPROACH IN LAND EVALUATION OF 
COASTAL SALINE SOILS 
M.R. Wadodkar*, L. Venkataratnam, T. Ravi Sankar and G. Sujatha 
Agriculture and Soils Group, National Remote Sensing Agency, Balanagar, Hyderabad, 500037 Andhra Pradesh, India. 
(E-mail: milindrw @rediffmail.com) 
Commission VII, WG VII/2 
KEYWORDS: Remote Sensing, Soil, Agriculture, Mapping, IRS, High resolution 
ABSTRACT: 
Coastal saline soils of Uppugunduru, Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, India were evaluated for various crops based on soil-site 
information obtained by using high-resolution satellite data and other ancillary data. For this study two seasons false colour 
composite (FCC) of IRS 1C LISS III and PAN merged data on 1:25,000 scale was used. Based on image interpretation, soil 
landscape studies, ground data and laboratory analysis of soil samples, the soils of the study area were characterised, classified and 
mapped at Series level. These soils were evaluated for their suitability for major crops viz., paddy, cotton, chillies, cashew and 
coconut, eucalyptus plantations by matching their soil-site characteristics against their soil-site requirements. The study showed that 
the soils of old tidal plains were suitable (S1) for paddy, coconut and eucalyptus plantation; moderately suitable (S2) for chillies, 
cotton and were marginally suitable (S3) cashew plantation. The soils of swale plains, which have moderate salinity and sodicity 
hazard, were to be found marginally suitable for paddy cultivation; presently not suitable (N1) for cotton, chillies, cashew and 
coconut plantations; where as moderately suitable for eucalyptus plantation. However the slightly saline sodic soils of swale plains 
were found suitable for paddy, coconut and eucalyptus cultivation and marginally suitable for chillies, cotton and cashew cultivation. 
The beach ridges, which are sandy in nature, were found permanently not suitable (N2) for paddy, chillies and cotton cultivation and 
were marginally suitable for cashew, coconut and eucalyptus plantation. Further, based on these results a land use plan was 
suggested for the study area. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Land evaluation is assessment of suitability (or potential) of 
land for a specific use and it is a pre-requisite for developing 
sustainable land use plans. Its main objective is to put at the 
disposal of the user relevant information about land resources 
that is necessary for planning, development and in taking 
management decisions (FAO, 1983). It brings out an 
understanding of the relationship between conditions of the 
land and the manner in which it is utilised (Beek, 1981). Thus, 
land evaluation becomes even more important while dealing 
with problematic soils such as in coastal areas, which have high 
salinity and sodicity hazard apart from extended tracts of sandy 
beaches devoid of mangrove protection with constant 
ingression of brackish water. As such, the land evaluation is a 
subsequent step after characterising and mapping of soils for 
which remote sensing data has been successfully used by 
various researchers (Shiva Prasad et.al, 1990 and Suresh 
Kumar et.al., 1998). In view of this, in the present paper an 
attempt has been made to evaluate the coastal saline soils of 
Uppugunduru for cultivating important crops based on soil 
information obtained by using high-resolution satellite data and 
other ancillary data. 
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 
2.1 Study area 
The study area lies between 807230 to 807730 E longitudes 
and 1575230 to 1555730 N latitudes covering an area of 8237 
ha in and around Uppugunduru village, Prakasam district, 
Andhra Pradesh, India. The area forms part of Krishna Western 
delta on eastern coast closure to Bay of Bengal and falls under 
  
*Corresponding author. 
Andhra costal, hot dry sub humid eco sub region. The main 
geological formations here consist of coastal and deltaic 
alluvium. It receives around 1080 mm mean annual rainfall 
which constitutes 60 percent of potential evapo-transpiration 
demand ranging between 1700-1800mm annually. The mean 
annual temperature recorded is 29.3°C. The soil moisture 
regime of the study area is Ustic and soil temperature regime is 
Hyperthermic. 
2.2 Data used and methods followed 
For this study, two seasons false colour composite (FCC) of 
IRS-IC PAN and LISS III merged data on 1:25000 scale 
acquired during January 1997 and May 1998 was used. The 
satellite data was visually interpreted for soil-landscape 
delineation in conjunction with Survey of India topographic 
maps on same scale. Three major physiographic units were 
delineated and were further subdivided based on image 
characteristics like tone, texture, pattern, association along with 
land use variations. Fieldwork was performed to correlate 
image characteristics with ground observations and soil-site 
studies were carried out in each soil-landscape unit by taking 
soil profile observations and also by taking random surface 
observations. The soil samples collected were analysed for 
physico-chemical characteristics using standard methods. 
Based on these observations soils were characterised, classified 
and mapped at series level. These soils were then evaluated for 
their suitability for agricultural crops viz. paddy, chillies and 
cotton; horticultural crops viz., cashew coconut and agro- 
forestry crop eucalyptus by using FAO (1976) land suitability 
classification system. The soil map and suitability maps for 
various crops thus prepared were scanned and digital database 
was generated using Geographical Information System. 
    
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