Muhammad Irfan Ullah
Environment Department, Islamia University Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: Irfanullah1124@gmail.com
Land with a high economic potential for irrigation: It’s a small part of the land that is irrigated by tube wells. The soils are well suited for intensive cultivation of vegetables and fruits (apples, apricots, peaches, grapes, etc. under irrigation. Land with a moderate to poor economic potential for irrigation/dry farming comprises medium to moderately textured soils, moderately fine textured gravelly soils, and some soils with salinity and sodicity problems. Some parts where water does not completely satisfy crop requirements, or which is not suitable for crop growth are dry farmed. Saline-sodic areas: Mostly occupying the northern and southern parts of the district are deep to very deep, moderately well-drained, gypsiferous, saline-sodic fine-textured soils occurring on the level and nearly level position in the piedmont basins. This soil is uncultivated and provides poor grazing. Agricultural unproductive land: It comprises bad land, gullied land, rough, broken, gravelly, and stony land. These lands are unsuitable for any agricultural development. The physical and socio-economic conditions, including lack of moisture, very rocky and very gravelly nature of soils, irregular relief, isolation, and lack of infrastructure, are the limitations that restrict the use of about two-thirds of the area to the grazing, even if irrigation water is made available. Soil erosion, disturbances of the hydrological cycle, and industrialization/urbanization of good soil are great problems in the area. By proper management, agricultural production can be increased.