Digital soil mapping of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and their crop response thresholds in smallholder managed escarpments of Malawi

Published Date
August 17, 2020
Type
Journal Article
Digital soil mapping of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and their crop response thresholds in smallholder managed escarpments of Malawi
Authors:
Powell Mponela
Sieglinde Snapp, Grace Villamor, Grace Villamor, Lulseged Tamene, Quang Bao Le, Christian Borgemeister

This study demonstrates how to predict and map soils within smallholder farms in fragile landscapes of Malawi. We used random forest algorithm and sentinel imagery to improve mapping of SOC and NPK farm level. SOC was predicted by bare soil reflectance, N: vegetation, P: topography, K is indiscrete. Our soil digital mapping revealed SOC & NPK stoichiometric thresholds at scale for small-farm management.

Citation:
Mponela, P. Snapp, S. Villamor, G. B. Tamene, L. Le, Q. B. Borgemeister, C. 2020. Digital soil mapping of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and their crop response thresholds in smallholder managed escarpments of Malawi. Applied Geography 124, 102299. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2020.102299
Keywords:
soil chemical properties
random forest
crop and soil management
digital soil mapping
sentinel imagery
soil fertility
soil physical properties
soil degradation
soc