Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture, Payam Noor University, Iran
Abstract
Background: The precise zoning of environmental factors in each region for agricultural activities, provides a very important guide for decision-making by managers and policymakers in the agricultural sector and farmers.
Objective: This study was conducted to zoning arable lands in Lorestan province for summer(second) maize-forage cultivation using GIS and ANP-fuzzy methods in 2022.
Research method: First, the raster layer of environmental factors affecting maize-forage cultivation including climatic factors(minimum, maximum and average temperature), topography(altitude and slope) and soil (pH, texture, potassium-available, phosphorus-available, organic matter and total nitrogen) prepared in GIS. Then, using fuzzy functions, the map of each factor was fuzzy and the weight of each factor was determined by ANP. The final layers were produced by combining the weighted layers, finally these layers were zoned into four highly suitable, suitable, marginally suitable and unsuitable layers.
Results: The results showed that 96.35% of the study area was highly suitable for
maize-forage cultivation and 3.65% was marginally. Except for a small part of the north and south of the agricultural lands of Lorestan province, the rest of the lands was suitable. Evaluation of fuzzy maps showed that highest fuzzy importance is related to climatic factors(0.63) and the least to soil factors(0.53). A separate evaluation of climatic, topographic and soil factors maps indicates that all factors except soil pH limit the cultivation of maize-forage in Lorestan province.
Conclusion: The result of this study will provide a logical basis for planning the optimal use of agricultural land, management of maize-forage and increasing farmers' income.
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