LANDFORM-LAND USE-SOIL RELATIONSHIP IN PART OF LOWER

GANGETIC PLAIN OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Shreyasi Gupta Choudhurya, Tapati Banerjeea, S. Dharumarajanb
a
ICAR- National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Kolkata-700091, b
ICAR- National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Bengaluru-560024.

* Corresponding author’s email: shreyasi.acss@gmail.com

Soil resource based agricultural planning provides platform for developing agro-techniques and
their appropriate placement on the ground. This requires large scale soil survey, mapping and
analysis using advanced geospatial technique for high level accuracy in order to arrive at
optimal solution / action plans for sustainable development.
In the lower part of Gangetic alluvial plain where the average elevation is very less (Fig 1), the
high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and Satellite Imagery are not sufficed enough
to develop any relation between landform and soil. Hence, land use information plays an
important role to develop relationship for proper land use planning.
The present study was undertaken in two clusters of villages
(Gotu cluster and Puinan cluster, Polba-Dadpur Block, Hugli
District) to demonstrate the detailed soil survey (1:12500
scale) for development planning. Based on altitude, slope and
land use pattern, different landforms viz. upper levee, lower
levee, micro high plain with convex slope, micro low plain
Fig 1: Flat alluvial plain of the study area
and rectilinear sloping plain between concave and
convex sloping plain land have been identified with
specific land use pattern.
Combining the DEM derived altitude and land use
interpreted from satellite image it has been Fig 2 Relationship between altitude and land use

observed that major habitation is found within the altitude of 13 to 14 metres marked as upper
levee, while plantation and orchards are found within 11 to 13 metres marked as lower levee.
Paddy growing area is mainly confined within 4 to 6 meters over micro low plain with concave
slope; potato growing area is found within the
altitude between 5 to 7 metres demarcated as with
micro high plain with convex slope while mixed
vegetable growing area are concentrated within 4
to 7 metres altitude over rectilinear sloping plain
between concave and convex sloping plain.
Fig 3: Landform and land use relationship in the study area

Soil landform relationship across the landform and land use reveals that the soils are deep for
all over the plain land. Soils of potato growing area in the convex slope are moderately well
drained, light yellowish brown, silt loam to loam, slightly acidic to neutral in soil reaction on
the surface, grayish brown to brown, loam to sandy loam, neutral in soil reaction on the sub
surface whereas soils of rice growing area in the concave slope are poorly drained, very dark
grayish brown to dark brown silty clay loam to clayey neutral pH on the surface; dark gray to
very dark grayish, silty clay to clayey, neutral pH on the subsurface. The soils of vegetable
growing area in the rectilinear slope are moderately well drained, dark brown to dark grayish
brown, silty clay to silty clay loam, moderately acidic pH on the surface, dark brown to very
dark gray, silty clay to silt loam, neutral pH on the sub surface.
Mean sand, silt and clay content in soils of convex slope was 14.13, 65.62 % and 20.22 %
on the surface and 10.74, 63.69 and 25.56 % in the sub-surface, respectively and the Mean
sand, silt and clay content in soils of concave slope was 4.30, 34.0 % and 61.70 % respectively.
The rectilinear sloping plain having average sand, silt and clay content of 12, 48.4% and 39.4%
on the surface and 8.3, 49.9 and 41.7 % on the sub surface.
The surface soils of convex slope are strongly acidic (5.33) whereas soil pH of transition land
was slightly acidic (5.9) and concave slope was neutral to slightly alkaline (6.67). Similar trend
of results observed in subsurface soils. Soil organic carbon content was the highest on the
surface soils of concave slope and lowest soil organic carbon recorded in convex slope (0.55
%). Organic carbon decreased with increasing depth.
Fig 4: Variation of soil properties across the landform in the study area

The study concludes that large scale soil mapping (1:12500 scale) at village level is vital in
formulating action plans for soil and water management and crop planning by providing
landform-land use based soil information integrated with high end technology which are
needed for developing sustainable land use plan.