Evaluation of Soil Quality in Arid Western Fringes of the Nile Delta for Sustainable Agriculture

Egypt is currently witnessing an extensive desert greening plan with a target of adding one and a half million feddans to the agricultural area. The present study evaluates the soil quality in the western desert fringes of the Nile Delta using three indicator datasets, which involve the total dataset (TDS), the minimum dataset (MDS), and the expert dataset (EDS). Three quality index models are included: the Additive Soil Quality Index (SQI-A), the Weighted Additive Soil Quality Index (SQI-W), and the Nemoro Soil Quality Index (SQI-N). Linear and nonlinear scoring functions are evaluated for scoring soil and terrain indicators. Thirteen soil quality indicators and three terrain indicators were measured in 397 sampling sites for soil quality evaluation. Factor analyses determined five soil and terrain indicators for the minimum dataset and their associated weights. The linear scoring functions reflected the soil system functions more than nonlinear scoring functions. Soil quality estimation by the minimum dataset (MDS) and Weighted Additive Soil Quality Index (SQI-W) is more sensitive than that by SQI-A and SQI-N quality models to explain soil quality indicators. The moderate soil quality grade is the largest quality grade in the studied area. The minimum dataset of soil quality indicators could assist in reducing time and cost of evaluating soil quality and monitoring the temporal changes in soil quality of the region due to the increased agricultural development.