ABSTRACT
32Soil surveys generate detailed information about the soils that could be used for number of applications like land use planning (LUP), soil quality assessment and management, nutrient mapping, analysis of spatial distribution, etc. Intertwined with bio-physical, socio-economic and environmental information, it is used for visualizing potential scenarios of different land uses asides evaluating the prevailing land uses. The administrators, researchers, planners and farmers are greatly aided by modern tools like Geographic information system (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS) and fast processing computer aids to arrive at decisions that are beneficial for sustainable natural resources management. However, in India paucity of data and variation in scales, acquisition methods, consistency, lack of skills and many such constraints confine LUP research to an academic exercise. Before commencement of an inclusive LUP, the focus must shift from soil based LUP to resource based LUP with due considerations to other sources of livelihood like water, forest, common property resources, etc. Current status of research is also reviewed including the articles included in section III and IV of this compilation/book. There are articles ranging from soil nutrient management in GIS to on field evaluation results of applying water tank silt in croplands for improving nutrient and physical status of the soils. Crop specific soil management practices are also reported in two different chapters. Similarly there are two reports on site specific nutrient application derived from spatial information/distribution in semi-arid part of the country. It is argued that research efforts are limited and skilled manpower is required for promoting LUP and soil management research in India.
