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Integration of PCA and Fuzzy Clustering for Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Cost-Efficiency Analysis in a Citrus Plantation

Author

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  • Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh

    (Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions, College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475004, China
    College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China)

  • Esmaeil Bakhshandeh

    (Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari 4818168984, Iran)

  • Mostafa Emadi

    (Department of Soil Sciences, College of Crop Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari 4818168984, Iran)

  • Tengfei Li

    (Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions, College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475004, China
    College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China)

  • Ming Xu

    (Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions, College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Ministry of Education, Kaifeng 475004, China
    College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China)

Abstract

Citrus spp. are one of the most important commercial crops with global marketing potential in the world, as in Iran. A soil management zone (MZ) as an appropriate approach is necessary to achieve sustainable production, along with improving soil management and increasing economic benefits in the commercial citrus plantations of northern Iran. As the first report, the biological and terrain attributes along with the physicochemical properties (57 soil samples, 0–30 cm) were used for MZ delineation using the integration of principal component analysis (PCA) and the fuzzy c-means clustering methods. An economic analysis based on the MZ results was also performed to determine the changes in each MZ using a relative cost (RC) value. The high correlation between soil properties and terrain attributes and the considerable spatial variation of these factors in the study area call for site-specific nutrient management. The optimal number of MZs was six and there was a significant heterogeneity variation among different MZs. The ranking of the MZs were MZ5 > MZ2 > MZ6 > MZ1 > MZ3 > MZ4 based on higher soil quality and lower costs per tree. The MZ4, MZ3, MZ1, MZ6, and MZ2 required 34.4, 30.6, 29.4, 9.77, and 9.44% more costs than MZ5 (as reference MZ) for achieving similar productivity, respectively. Therefore, this simple and cost-effective approach could be an initial step to utilize fertilizers site-specifically for data-scarce areas and reduce the soil property variability within the delineated MZs, which is fundamental for precision agriculture management.

Suggested Citation

  • Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh & Esmaeil Bakhshandeh & Mostafa Emadi & Tengfei Li & Ming Xu, 2020. "Integration of PCA and Fuzzy Clustering for Delineation of Soil Management Zones and Cost-Efficiency Analysis in a Citrus Plantation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:14:p:5809-:d:386765
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mohamed S. Metwally & Sameh M. Shaddad & Manqiang Liu & Rong-Jiang Yao & Ahmed I. Abdo & Peng Li & Jiaoguo Jiao & Xiaoyun Chen, 2019. "Soil Properties Spatial Variability and Delineation of Site-Specific Management Zones Based on Soil Fertility Using Fuzzy Clustering in a Hilly Field in Jianyang, Sichuan, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Matías L. Ruffo & Donald G. Bullock & Germán A. Bollero, 2009. "The Value of Variable Rate Technology: An Information-Theoretic Approach," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 91(1), pages 209-223.
    3. Ali Keshavarzi & Vinod Kumar & Eduardo Leonel Bottega & Jesús Rodrigo-Comino, 2019. "Determining Land Management Zones Using Pedo-Geomorphological Factors in Potential Degraded Regions to Achieve Land Degradation Neutrality," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-14, June.
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    1. B. N. Shashikumar & Suresh Kumar & K. Justin George & Abhishek Kumar Singh, 2023. "Soil variability mapping and delineation of site-specific management zones using fuzzy clustering analysis in a Mid-Himalayan Watershed, India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8539-8559, August.
    2. Julio César Galdino de Sousa & Yuri Jacques Agra Bezerra da Silva & Vanessa Martins & Sueli Rodrigues & Marcos Paulo Rodrigues Teixeira & Paulo Henrique Dalto & Laércio Vieira de Melo Wanderley Neves , 2023. "Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy for Mapping Soil Carbon Stock in the Gilbués Desertification Region at Brazilian Cerrado," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-20, September.

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