Climate suitability evaluation for Poplar in Uttarakhand using GIS application

The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of climate for poplar in Uttarakhand. The study area located between latitude 28º43’N and 31º27’N and longitude 77º34’E and 81º02’E. and covers approximately 53,485 sq km. The identified theme layers include temperature (maximum, minimum and average temperature), precipitation and soil properties. Those thematic layers with their associated attribute data were encoded in GIS database. Overlay operation was performed on those layers as the suitability model assigned. The model was a result of the crop requirement analysis. Models were applied to the overlay process and to formulate the suitability classes. The result indicated that 41.8%, 26.4%, 10.7%, 1.6% and 19.5% area of the total geographical area of the state, the most suitable, suitable, moderate suitable and less suitable, respectively for poplar plantation. On the basis of the results, it can be recommended that poplar can be grown on the larger area of Uttarakhand state, especially the wastelands can be utilized for cultivation of poplar which will not only be beneficial for socio-economic point of view but also sequester the carbon from the atmosphere.