Field and laboratory investigation of soil texture determination in Agricultural Lands: case study: Zangiabad region, Kerman province

Authors
Fatemeh Sheikhpour 1
Majid Mahmoodabadi 2
Atefeh Jafarpoor 3
Mohammad Zounemat-Kermani 4
1 Soil Science and Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman
2 Department of Soil Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman
3 Assistant Professor, Agricultural Faculty, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
4 Department of Civil Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
10.22034/wmji.2025.2067585.1123
Abstract
Accurate identification of soil texture, as one of the fundamental and relatively stable physical properties of soil, is essential for developing effective land management strategies in arid and semi-arid regions. Since soil texture directly affects water retention capacity, plant water requirements and erosion potential, mapping its spatial distribution forms the basis of site-specific management.  This study aimed to assess the spatial variability of soil texture (sand, silt, and clay) in the Zangiabad region of Kerman Province, Iran. In this regard, a total of 150 surface soil samples (0–20 cm) were systematically randomly collected from agricultural land and analyzed using the hydrometer method. Data normalization was performed with the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, and variogram models were fitted. Spatial interpolation was conducted using Kriging and IDW methods in GS+ and GIS. The results showed a clear textural gradient from the southwest to the northeast, with soils ranging from sandy and sandy loam (sand up to 89%) in the southern and western parts to loam and clay loam (clay 2–21% and silt 5–60%) in the northern and eastern areas. The IDW method demonstrated higher accuracy than Kriging in estimating soil texture values. Overall, the generated soil texture maps provide a useful basis for precision agriculture and sustainable land management, particularly for variable-rate irrigation, identification of wind erosion-prone zones (sandy regions in the southwest), and optimization of fertilizer application according to soil nutrient-holding capacity.
Keywords
Soil texture
Geostatistics
Spatial interpolation
Site-specific management
Arid and semi-arid lands
Kriging
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