Study on soil resources and their potential on the project of the Office of Agriculture Land Reform, at Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Prakhon Chai, Changwat Buri Ram

Study is to produce soil map and to evaluate their potential for the most suitable landuse planning. Method of this study is Soil Taxonomy and Classification. The study level is semi-detailed soil survey. The mapping units are phase of soil series and phase of soil variants. Location of the study area is at latitude 14 deg 43 libda 03 philibda N to 14 deg 54 libda 05 philibda and longitude 102 deg 59 libda 10 philibda E to 103 deg 17 libda 32 philibda E. Total area is 105,900 rai. The Climate is Tropical Savannah and has 3 seasons (rainy, winter, and summer season). The average rainfall is 1304.1 mm. The average air temperature is 27.3 deg C. The average relative humidity is 72.5 percent. From December to June it is estimated that the soil moisture storage will not enough for the growing in the rainfed area. The topography is level to nearly level and is 161-178 meters above mean sea level. Land is mainly used to plant rice, non-flooding economic crops and fruit trees. There are many small swamps, Huai Ta-lat stream and Huai Ta-lat reservoir that has a capacity 19 million cu m and served the irrigation area about 14,000 rai. Geomorphology and parent material: In The northern part are residuum and colluvium from olivine basalt in the Tertiary Age, some are weathering and had developed to laterite, but mainly are alluvium founded on old alluvium terrace in the Quaternary Age. Relief is level to nearly level with slope range 0-2 percent. Fertility of these soil are moderately low to low. According to the soil properties and environment, the study area was classified into 4 mapping units for landuse and economic crops. The first has an area 3,077 rai, 2.19 percent is very well suited for paddy but unsuited for non-flooded crops and fruit trees and poorly suited for pasture. The second has an area 44,330 rai, 41.68 percent is well suited for paddy but unsuited for non-flooded crops and fruit trees and poorly suited for pasture. The third has an area 43,844 rai 41.39 percent is moderately suited for paddy but unsuited for non-flooded crops and fruit trees and poorly suited for pasture. The last has an area 3,417 rai 3.23 percent is unsuited for paddy but well suited for non-flooding crops and fruit tree and suited for pasture. The rest are urban area (2,646 rai 2.50 percent) swamps and reservoir (8,586 rai 8.11 percent). Total area is 105,900 rai 100.00 percent.