PEDOLOGICAL STUDIES ON Some Soils IN EL-BEHEIRA GOVERNORATE

Abstract

The present investigation is under taken to study the pedological and mineralogical characteristics of the soils of EL­ Beheira Governorate l ocated in the Western part of N ile Delta region to criteria on soil genesis, formation and classification of this region. The area is bounded by longitudes 29° 50' West and 30° 40' East and latitudes 30° 4'south and 31o 30' north. It is characterized by the presence of the geomorphological units.

!-Recent Nile alluvial plain

2-Fluvio - marine plain

3-Desert plain

ln this study twenty soil profiles were selected to represent the ·prevalent three geomorphic units. These profiles were morphologically described in the field, and some seventy two soil samples representing the morphological variations throughout the entire depth of each profile were collected for analysis. ln this accord, the collected samples were evaluated for the physical, chemical and mineralogical stand points. In view of the laboratory investigations, the following results were obtained. !-Physical and chemical properties :

a) Soils of the Recent Nile alluvial plain have a clay or sandy clay loam textured Class. CaC03 content is very low and ranges from 0.46% to 5.1%. Organic matter content is very low, not exceeding 2.9% .