Delineation of Potential Sites for Rice Cultivation Through Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) Using Remote Sensing and GIS

Abstract

Punjab, Pakistan is famous for rice production in all over the world, but economic indicators are low toward rice contribution in the regional economy. Climatic and physical factors are responsible for rice yield degradation. Suitable land for rice cultivation can be mapped keeping in view these climatic and physical factors. In this research, rice cultivation season was calculated using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) time series datasets for the complete year 2014. Landsat 8 thermal datasets were obtained for the rice cultivation season and temperature based growth variability maps were generated. The total area under investigation was 13,657 km 2 out of which 931.61 km 2 (6.8%) was found to be least suitable, 3316.69 km 2 (24.2%) was moderately suitable, 6019.63 km 2 (44%) was highly suitable and 3395.28 km 2 (24.85%) was not suitable for rice crop cultivation. Results showed that highly suitable area was characterized by a temperature range between 21 and 32 °C, soil pH level between 5.5 and 7.2, soil type was < 78% clay and the soil was imperfectly drained. We compared land suitability map covering the complete land use with rice cultivated area only and found the results as follows: 592 km 2 (5.9%) rice cultivation was in least suitable, 4385 km 2 (44%) cultivation was in highly suitable, 2210 km 2 (23.2%) cultivation was in moderately suitable and 1674 km 2 (16.8%) cultivation was in not suitable regions. The techniques applied in this research may be used by local farmers to select cropping patterns and land suitability for rice crop.

Estimation of Net Rice Production through Improved CASA Model by Addition of Soil Suitability Constant (ħα)

“…These ranges were 0.16-0.2%, 0.4-0.48%, 0.69-0.73% and 0.85-0.90% of the CASA based yield, respectively. To investigate further, an interpolated map was developed based on actual yield levels, as shown in Figure 14, and it was compared with soil suitability zones delineated by Hassan et al, 2018 [108]. We observed that the lowest yield of 414 kg/ha (0.16% of the CASA based yield) was obtained from areas which were not suitable for rice cultivation with pH > 8.4, electric conductivity (EC) of 1.75-2.25 and excessively drained soil type (ST).…”

“…We further superimposed the spatial distribution of rice cultivation to yield a variability map (already compared with soil suitability zones), [108] and found that the farmers had planted rice in…”

“…We further superimposed the spatial distribution of rice cultivation to yield a variability map (already compared with soil suitability zones), [108] and found that the farmers had planted rice in 592 km 2 of less suitable soil, in 4385 km 2 of highly suitable soil, in 2210 km 2 of moderately suitable soil, and in 1674 km 2 of not suitable soil. We applied ħα ranges according to soil suitability zones and computed 1.63 million tons as the net production in the study site, including 0.46 ton/ha for the not suitable zone, 1.2 ton/ha for the less suitable zone, 1.9 ton/ha for the moderately suitable zone and 2.4 ton/ha for the highly suitable zone.…”

Identification of Potential Sites for Rice Plant Growth using Multi Criteria Decision (MCE) Technique Through Remote Sensing and GIS

“…Many researchers have used a set of powerful tools embedded in Arc GIS to compute various variables e.g. temperature, pressure, rainfall, humidity, soil pH, soil types and soil electric conductivity which effected the productivity [8,9]. Multi Criteria Evaluation (MCE) techniques are widely used to analyze the suitable sites which assist in decision making of a particular problem [10,11].…”

Delineation of Drainage Network and Estimation of Total Discharge using Digital Elevation Model (DEM).

“…The rapid urbanization and the population growth, have increased the demands of fresh water for consumption at domestic level [1]. The enhanced cycle of various human activities like agriculture, urbanization, and industrialization have put huge pressure on available reservoirs of fresh water.…”