Assignment on

‘Land capability classification’

Introductory soil and water conservation

engineering
B.S.C. (Ag)-1st year (sem-2)

Session 2016-17

Submitted by: (1) Jyoti Sengar-16110130 Submitted To: Dr. H.S. Bhadoria

(2) Sakshi Sharma-16110157

(3) Manisha Mihoriya-16110138

(4) Mili Sharma-16110140

(5) Renu Jayant-16110153

DEPARTMENT OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION ENGINEERING

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, RVSKVV, GWALIOR

Land capability is the suitability of land for use without damage. Lands
under different capabilities are classified into groups, classes, sub-
classes and units.

LAND CAPABILITY GROUP: There are two broad groups of land.

ARABLE LAND: Arable land comprising land not suitable for regular
cultivation and other uses. This group includes the first four classes of
land capability classes namely, class 1, class2, Class 3, class 4.

NON-ARABLE LAND: comprising land not suitable for regular

cultivation, but suitable for other uses such as plantation crops,
horticulture, forestry, grassland and wild life. This group includes class
5, class 6, class 7, class 8 lands in land capability classification.

LAND CAPABILITY CLASSES: The capability of different land areas for

sustaining crops differ, depending on land slope, slope type, soil depth
and susceptibility to soil erosion. Class 1 to class 4 are suitable for
regular cultivation , with varying degrees of biological and mechanical
methods of on-farm soil and water conservation. Class 5 to class 8
comprise of land not suitable for regular cultivation, but are suitable for
ulternate uses, namely horticulture, plantation crop, grassland forestry
and wild-life. The land capability classes are shown in the map in
standard colours:
Suitability of different land capability classes for land use
LAND SUITED FOR AGRICULTURE:
CLASS 1: Slope 0-1% . good lands from all point of view, which can be
cultivated by following scientific farming practices .It is normally level
land which does not easily erode by water and wind. It has good water
holding capacity and is capable for supplying fair amount of nutrients.

CLASS 2: Slope 1-3%. It is slightly susceptible for erosion due to gentle

slope, moderate depth, moderate wetness, slow drainage. Water
holding capacity is good. With soil conservation measures such as
contour bunding or terracing, contour cultivation, strip cropping and
use of cover crops in crop rotation, these lands can be made quite
productive.

CLASS 3: Slope 3-5%. It is moderately good for cultivation, with

limitations of moderately steep slopes, high susceptibility to erosion,
shallow depth to clay or hard pan or bed rock, low water holding
capacity, slow or very slow permeability and susceptible for water
logging.

CLASS 4: Slope 5-10%. Serious limitation restricting the choice of

cropping which need careful and efficient management. It can be
cultivated only periodically as a crop planning is limited by sever
susceptibility to erosion, step slopes, shallow soils with low water
holding capacity.

LAND SUITED FOR PERMANENT VEGETATION:

CLASS 5: Slopes 15-25%. Cultivation is not feasible due to stoniness,
wetness and other limitations. Soils may be
moderately deep with gentle slope, not susceptible to water and wind
erosion.

CLASS 6: Slopes 25-33%. These soils are subject to moderate

permanent limitations, having shallow depth and steep slopes.Can be
used for grazing and forestry and respond well if properly managed.

CLASS 7: Slope 33-50%. The soils are steep, rough, eroded, shallow,
droughty and swampy. These factors limit their use for grazing or
forestry and have to be used carefully, particularly when used for
grazing.

CLASS 8: Slope greater than 50%. These lands are unfit even for
grazing or intensive forestry. They could be used for natural vegetative
cover, wildlife and recreation
LAND CAPABILITY SUB-CLASSES: Land capability classes 2, 3, 4 for
agricultural use can be divided into sub-classes determined by the kind
of limitation in land use and the hazard involved.

Susceptibility to erosion, or past erosion occurance (e)

Root zone limitations such as shallowness stones, low water
holding capacity (s)
Wetness, high water table, poor drainage (w)
Climate conditions such as temperature, lack of moisture and
high winds(c)

LAND CAPABILITY UNITS: Within each land capability sub-class, the

land which is suited for essentially the same kind of management and
same kind of soil conservation treatment, is called a land capability
unit.
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