Spatial variation of soil properties in paddy fields of Polonnaruwa district

A significant portion of paddy fields in the Polonnaruwa district exhibits critical deficiencies in soil health, with 98% of the area showing low exchangeable potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) levels, alongside very low organic matter content (<3%) across 98% of the land. While 58% of the fields have excess phosphorus (P), soil salinity is not a major concern in 98% of the district's paddy fields. These findings were derived from a systematic study using a grid-based sampling approach, where soil samples were collected at 2.5 km intervals and analyzed for key chemical properties. Thematic maps generated via ArcGIS 10.5 revealed spatial variations, enabling precise identification of areas requiring remedial measures to optimize crop yield while conserving environmental health.

Rathnayake, W. M. U. K., Sirisena, D. N., Renuka, K. A., De Silva, S., & Atapattu, A. M. R. S. (2019). Spatial variation of soil properties in paddy fields of Polonnaruwa district. Tropical Agriculturist, 167(2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.4038/ta.v167i2.71