DefinePK

Abstract

Fuzzy c-means clustering was used to define soil-nutrient
management zones. soil sampling data was tested to identify which data source
was the best for partitioning optimum zones, using a geographical information
system and various statistical techniques. The study area was a region of large-scale
drip-irrigated cotton cultivation in China. For soil data sources, the area
was portioned into three zones. To confirm the resulting zones, the coefficient
of variation of the nutrient index was calculated for the soil data. The least
spatial variation in soil nutrient content was found within the same management
zones, with larger variation between zones. The degree of conformity 84.40
with zones derived using actual cotton production data was found for the management
zones defined using the combination of soil data. The method proposed here,
using fuzzy c-means clustering and soil sampling data, can be useful in determining
zones for optimal fertilizer application and resource management in cotton systems.