Land suitability evaluation of soils of Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka for cashew production

摘要

India's share in raw cashew nut production is about 25 per cent of the world production. In recent times, India is facing stiff competition from Vietnam and Brazil in international trade (Bhat, 2007). In India, cashew is mainly grown in Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala along the West coast and in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal along the East coast. This crop is mostly grown on laterite and red soils and coastal sands in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal. Inappropriate land use leads to inefficient exploitation of natural resources, destruction of land resources, poverty and other social problems and even in the destruction of civilization. Hence, the management of land and soil based on the suitability evaluation is very important to preserve both these resources for future generation. High rainfall, shallow to medium soil depth, presence of coarse fragments, undulating topography and poor soil fertility are the most serious problems influencing growth and performance of cashew in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. In this context, the present study was carried out using remote sensing data along with field survey and laboratory analysis for evaluating the potentials and limitations of soil for suitability to cashew growing in Dakshina Kannada district of Southern Karnataka.