Mapping of Nutrient Status of Soils Using GIS

A study was conducted in Kathua region of J&K which lies in between 32°17` N to 32°55`N of latitude and 75°70` E to 76°46` of longitude to map the nutrient status of soils using Geographic Information System. The area experiences a wide range of climate from sub-tropical to temperate and even alpine in higher regions. Composite surface soil samples from two hundred and six (206) locations distributed randomly across the whole of the district were collected at the depth of 0-15cms using global positioning system (GPS). Inverse distance weighting (IDW) technique was adopted to generate prediction maps of the soil properties. The choice of either technique to prepare filled contour maps of soil properties was based upon an error analysis. The process of digitization and generation of maps was carried out using ArcGIS 10.3 software. The area falls in between Shivaliks and extends up to to Peer Panchal ranges.