Land suitability study for agriculture is a very important technique in deciding future agricultural cropping pattern, planning and activities. Land suitability analysis is an assessment of an area to determine how proper or appropriate it is for a particular use of the land (such as growing a crop variety) in a particular location. Land suitability tools have been extensively applied to identify better management practices in agricultural areas. Soil and landscape properties are essential in this type of evaluation, fact that makes especially interesting, is the coupling of this type of model with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote sensing (RS). The integration of RS-GIS, Fuzzy-logic and application of Multi-Criteria Evaluation using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) could provide a superior database and guide map for decision makers considering crop land substitution in order to achieve better agricultural production. A review was carried out for different multi-criteria analysis to develop land suitability maps. Fuzzy-logic integrated with Multi-Criteria Evaluation in GIS environment found most suitable for agricultural crops.

Land suitability evaluation criteria for agricultural crop selection: A review

<div>Background: The key source of income in India is agriculture, so farming is called as backbone of Indian economy. To satisfy the need of increasing population increase in the crop yield is very important. India country programming framework stated that, the annual soil loss in India is about 5.3 billion tonnes.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Majority farmers are small or marginal scale and are dependent on natural resources like soil-quality, rainfall and environmental condition etc. for their yield. Based on experience farmers decide which crop to be adopted. Government is arranging trainings and exhibitions to enhance the skillset of farmers. &nbsp; 
 
Result: A land which gives poor yield for one crop may produce adequate yield for some other crop/crops. To know the possible suitable crop/crops proposed machine learning model focuses current and potential suitability evaluation for available scenario.</div>

Evaluating the Influence of Soil and Environmental Parameters in Terms of Crop Suitability using Machine Learning

Background: Perennial crops including rubber and Thanh Tra grapefruit are highly effective land use that has occupied a large area (nearly 11,000 ha) in Thua Thien Hue province, Central Vietnam. Analyzing land suitability in agricultural production is one of the important tools for determining the effective use of land resources and sustainable development. This study aims to evaluate the land suitability of perennial crops in Phong Dien district, Thua Thien Hue province, Central Vietnam. 
 
Methods: The study was conducted in different communes in Phong Dien district, Thua Thien Hue province, Central Vietnam from 2022 to 2023 by collecting secondary and primary data together with soil samples from 45 profiles for analysis and finally application of the fuzzy multi-criteria analysis process (FAHP) tool and geographic information system method (GIS) to evaluate the land suitability. 
 
Result: The results indicated that economic criteria played the most important role with weights from 0.068 to 0.343, followed by the social criteria (weights from 0.014 to 0.147) and the environmental criteria (weights from 0.011 to 0.051). With land suitability evaluation, the very high suitability area of rubber and Thanh Tra grapefruit (S1) was 3,144.14 ha and 3,742.29 ha respectively. The FAHP and GIS integrated method is a useful method to assess land suitability for land use of perennial crops based on appropriate assessment of FAO land use requirements.

Assessment of Land Suitability in Perennial Crops using FAHP and GIS in Central Vietnam

<div style="text-align: justify;">Background: Land suitability assessment can inform decisions on land uses suitable for maximizing crop yield while making best use, but not impairing the ability of natural resources such as soil to support development. We assessed the suitability of lentil to be produce in 300 ha land of Tarakeswar block of Hooghly district West Bengal.&nbsp; Methods: Suitability criteria included eight criterion, such as: soil texture (ST), electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), available nitrogen(N), available phosphorous (P),available potassium(K) and available zinc (Zn). We modi&ucirc;ed and used a novel set of techniques to assess suitability: Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) pairwise comparison matrixand &nbsp;Geographic Information System (GIS) software.&nbsp; Result: The exponential model generated by Ordinary Kriging was used to estimate the lentil land use suitability. Suitability distribution of deep layer found nearly 42% area under suitability class, i.e. S1-2 &nbsp;which may be used for growing the crop profitably.&nbsp;</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Soil Nutrient Based Land Suitability Analysis for Lentil Crop in Tarakeswar, Hooghly, West Bengal</div>

Background: Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), is a leguminous crop which is widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics between 40&deg;N and 40&deg;S latitudes. It is valued for its high-oil edible seeds and as such it is the fourth most important source of edible oil and third most important source of vegetable protein in the world. Groundnut is not only an important oilseed crop of India but also an important agricultural export commodity. Cultivation of groundnut is an alternate occupation to fishing by the fisherman in the coastal sands. Farmers are cultivating groundnut after groundnut for the past two decades resulting in low income from the crop. Based on their demand a field experiment is planned to identify alternate crops which are remunerative to this tract 
 
Methods: Field experiment entitled &ldquo;Identification of suitable alternate Rabi crops for coastal sands of Nellore district&rdquo; was carried out for two consecutive years during rabi, 2017-18 and 2018-19 on farmer&rsquo;s field at Srigowripuram, Vidavalur Mandal, SPSR Nellore district. 
 
Result: The mean performance revealed that all the crops produced less groundnut equivalent yields than groundnut crop. Groundnut pod equivalent yield was reduced by 4.60%, 71.25%, 90.14% and 55.78% in water melon, musk melon, onion and potato crops respectively. In terms of groundnut pod equivalent yield no crop is found superior to existing groundnut crop. With regard to alternate crops, the maximum groundnut pod equivalent yield (4941.50 kg ha-1) was noticed in water melon crop followed by muskmelon (1489.50 kg ha-1). Though higher gross and net returns were realized for groundnut (284955, 200695 Rs ha-1) B:C ratio was found to be maximum for water melon (3.48) due to low cost of cultivation Hence, water melon crop can be promoted as a remunerative crop alternate groundnut in coastal sands of Nellore district. Whereas, onion crop was found to be least in monitory returns crop with lower productivity in costal sands of Nellore district.

Identification of Suitable Alternate Rabi Crops for Coastal Sands of Nellore District

<div>Background: Freshwater in sufficient quantity and adequate quality is a prerequisite for human societies and natural ecosystems. To adequately feed 9.3 billion people in 2050, consumptive water use (i.e. transpired water) by all food and fodder crops needs to increase from its present estimated level of 7000 km3/year to 12,586 km3/year. However, fresh water resources are increasingly getting scarce because of increased competition among a multitude of users. Getting agriculture to perform with progressively smaller allocation of renewable water resources will remain a challenge on global scale. To meet the challenge there is an urgent need to improve the crop water productivity to ensure the sustainability of agriculture. 
 
Methods: An experiment was carried out at village Menawali, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan during both kharif and rabi seasons to assess productivity, economics, N-uptake and water use of different crops. An area of 187 ha comprising 25 farmers irrigated by common irrigation channels were selected to collect the information. The information required i.e. soil, crop management, growth, phonological, yields, water balance, N-uptake and water use efficiency of each crops were collected from 15 farmers. Bt-cotton and clusterbean of kharif and wheat and Indian mustard in rabi were prominent crops, cotton-wheat, cotton-mustard, clusterbean-wheat and clusterbean-mustard were major cropping sequences of the study region. 
 
Result: In kharif season, Bt-cotton gave higher economic yields than clusterbean and amongst rabi season crops, economic yields of wheat and mustard were 4255, 1778 kg/ha, respectively. The economic yield of cropping sequences varied from 3741-6514 kg/ha and were higher for cotton-wheat (6218 kg/ha), intermediate for clusterbean-wheat (5785 kg/ha) and lower for cotton-mustard (3741 kg/ha) and clusterbean-mustard (3308 kg/ha). The cotton-wheat (₹1181.2 mm) sequence had highest water use. Clusterbean-wheat cropping system recorded highest water productivity (16.5 kg/ha mm) followed by clusterbean-mustard (14.9 kg/ha mm). The clusterbean-mustard (₹456/ha mm) cropping sequence was most profitable and fetched highest net return followed by clusterbean-wheat (₹383/ha mm).</div>

Assessing Crop and Water Productivity Performance of Different Crops and Cropping Systems

Background: Cropping system is an essential component of a farming system. Farmers use a variety of cropping systems based on their expertise, scientific validation is essential before recommending a certain cropping system for a specific area. The purpose of the study was to determine the yield and profitability of a diversified intensive cropping system with nutrient management strategies that are more productive and profitable than existing ones for Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s North Western Zone.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: With four replications, the experiment was set up in a strip plot style. Five treatments were used, one of which included intensive diversified cropping systems viz., C1: Groundnut-chillies-greengram, C2: Groundnut + redgram (6:1)-sorghum-blackgram, C3: Maize + fodder cowpea (1:1) - sunflower-greengram, C4: Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato-blackgram, C5: Brinjal + onion (1:2) - cowpea-sunnhemp were taken in main-plots and five nutrient management practices treatments were imposed in sub-plots, including farm yard manure at 12.5 t/ha and vermicompost at 2.5, 5 and 7.5 t/ha, as well as fertilisers at variable levels of 100, 75 and 50 per cent were imposed in sub-plots.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Higher total system groundnut equivalent yield was recorded in Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato - blackgram cropping system with respect to nutrient management it was recorded higher in farmyard manure @ 12.5 t/ha along with application of 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer. Higher B:C ratio and net return was recorded in Bhendi + coriander (1:1) - tomato - blackgram cropping system in terms of nutrient management it was recorded higher in farmyard manure @ 12.5 t/ha along with application of 100 per cent recommended dose of fertilizer.

Production and Profitability of Diversified Intensive Cropping System Suitable for North Western Zone of Tamil Nadu

<div style="text-align: justify;">Improved and efficient irrigation water management through precise estimation of crop water requirement has a vital role to play in ensuring food security. However, the crop water requirement data of field crops are not locally available. In view of this, present investigation was aimed at quantifying the crop water requirement of rabi and kharif season crops grown under paired row planting in different agro climatic conditions of Madhya Pradesh. The crop water requirement was calculated based on the already developed crop coefficient and reference evapotranspiration. Daily weather data of 35 years (1979 to 2013) for twenty districts of Madhya Pradesh was collected to determine the reference evapotranspiration using Aquacrop model. The study revealed that the daily ETo increased continuously from 1st SMW to its maximum values during 21st-22nd SMW, thereafter decreased sharply and remains low from 30th to 34th SMW in all selected districts. The highest value of ETo (11.0 mm day-1) was found in Datia at 21st SMW and lowest in Betul i.e. 2.2 mm day-1 at 32nd SMW. The daily water requirement estimates showed that the water requirement of chickpea, wheat and lentil i.e. 1.73 lpd, 0.70 lpd and 0.49 lpd respectively is highest in Jabalpur. Sugarcane has the highest water requirement 13.56 lpd in Narsinghpur during mid season. &nbsp;In all kharif crops cotton has highest water requirement 6.53 lpd in Harda followed by sesame and groundnut i.e. 2.75 lpd and 2.46 lpd respectively in Datia. These results can be used in efficient management of irrigation water under drip irrigation system in selected district of Madhya Pradesh. &nbsp;</div>

Study on crop water requirement of field crops under different climatic conditions of Madhya Pradesh

<div>Background: Small millets and pulses are world&rsquo;s renowned crops for their nutritional significance. Being an underutilized species; rainfed farmers solely depend on them for their livelihood; which would be enhanced in a planned and efficient cropping system. The current study aimed to the identify suitable inter and sequential crops for rainfed little millet. 
 
Methods: In this study, four cropping patterns with two different row proportions for intercropping [viz., (4:1), (6:1)] were used with little millet as a main crop. The cropping systems include - little millet + pigeonpea [(4:1), (6:1)] followed by a sequential horsegram; little millet + pigeonpea followed by moth bean and little millet + lablab [(4:1), (6:1)] followed by Horsegram and little millet + lablab followed by mothbean.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Among them; a higher grain equivalent yield was observed in little millet + pigeonpea (6:1); followed by horsegram. However, higher dry matter, grain weight and higher individual crop yield was obtained in little millet + pigeonpea (6:1) followed by mothbean. Although individual mono cropping yields of these crops were higher; the pattern with little millet - pigeonpea (6:1) followed by horsegram could be recommended as a methodology to aid higher economic returns in shorter period.</div>

​Effect of Inter and Sequential Cropping of Pulses in Little Millet (Panicum sumatranse L.) based Cropping System

<div>Background: Bangladesh is one of the densely populated countries in the world. To meet up the increasing food demand there&rsquo;s no alternative to increase the cropping intensity through high yielding and short duration crop varieties. Currently, cropping system of Bangladesh is mostly rice based which is also the staple food. Therefore, farmers which follow rice-rice based cropping patterns are gaining less profit day by day. Contrary, intensive rice culture is depleting soil properties gradually. Thus, to preserve soil health and increase profit pulse and oil seed based cropping patterns are crucial for sustaining a cropping pattern. This study was undertaken to find out a cropping pattern with higher yield and profit in the context of Magura district. 
 
Methods: Five cropping patterns, CP1 = Transplanted Aman rice (cv. Binadhan-7)- Mustard (cv. Binasarisha-9)- Boro rice (cv. Binadhan-14); CP2 = T.Aman (cv. Binadhan-16)-Mustard (cv. Binasarisha-10)- Boro (cv. Binadhan-14); CP3 = T.Aman (cv. Binadhan-17) -Mustard (cv. Binasarisha-10)- Boro (cv. Binadhan-14); CP4 = T.Aman (cv. Binadhan-17)-&nbsp;Lentil (cv. Binamasur-8)- Sesame (cv. Binatil-3) and &nbsp;CP5 (Control) -&nbsp;Aman (cv. Shorna) &ndash; Boro (cv. Heera) - fallow were assessed to identify the most suitable and profitable pattern as well as to enhance the cropping intensity by adding a pulse or oil seed crop between two rice crops. The investigation was conducted at farmer&rsquo;s field of Magura during 2018-19. Block farming method was followed for experiment set up.&nbsp; 
 
Result: It was revealed that, maximum rice equivalent yield (REY) was obtained from CP1 (14.46 t/ha) followed by CP4 (13.52 t/ha), CP3 (13.35 t/ha), CP2 (13.09 t/ha) and CP5 (11.33 t/ha) during one year crop cycle. Highest gross margin (Tk. 1,90,189) and MBCR (1.83) was obtained from the cropping pattern CP4 and the lowest gross margin (Tk. 69,271) and MBCR (1.24) was found with the pattern CP5. Based on the above results it can be suggested that, Aman rice-Lentil-Sesame pattern i.e. CP4 may be a best choice for the farmers of Magura region for the maximum utilization of their land and gaining more profit compared to the other studied cropping patterns.</div>