varieties differently. Details of the LSD0.05 comparison test
are provided in Table 4. For the S1 class, the ranking of
rice varieties for decreasing grain yield was Osmancık
> Beşer > Halil Bey > Gönen > Kızılırmak > Durağan >
Şumnu > 7721 > Koral > Neğiş > Aromatik. For the S2
class, Halil Bey had the highest yield, whereas Aromatik
had the lowest yield. In addition, Aromatik also had the
lowest grain yield for the S3 class. According to grain yield,
Osmancık-97, Halil Bey, Durağan, and Şumnu were the 4
best varieties, whereas Aromatik, Koral, and Neğiş were
the 3 worst varieties. From these results, S1 was the most
suitable class for growing high grain yield, with the S2 and
S3 classes following it. The author attributes the differences
in productivity of the different locations to their different
suitability classes for rice production.
4. Discussion
The soils of the alluvial deposits on different terraces and the
floodplain of the Kızılırmak River at Çankırı in the Central
Anatolian region of Turkey are highly heterogeneous
and display distinctive pedological characteristics due to
frequent depositional disturbances through flooding, as
well as erosional processes (Dengiz 2010). Knowledge of
the variations in soil properties is not only important for
soil mapping and classification but also in soil management
and plant growth, which require detailed information on
spatial distribution of soil properties.
This study confirms the capability of GIS to integrate
spatial and attribute data and to offer a quick and reliable
method of land suitability assessment with high accuracy.
In addition, the study’s modeling component provided
an approach to the improvement of rice yields by demonstrating the potentialities and constraints of an area
with regard to its capabilities and specifically is a useful
tool for rice cultivation planning.
Rice is an important food crop across the world.
However, rice ecosystems are currently faced with
numerous issues, such as poor crop establishment,
unsuitable soil and land conditions, water scarcity, biotic
and environmental stresses, and inefficient agronomical
practices, which result in low returns from rice production.
Therefore, it can be strongly recommended that the first
2 suitability classes must be considered simultaneously
for land allocation for new rice cultivation areas, using
GIS techniques and taking into consideration land-use
information, including the results obtained from the
present model. With analysis by spatial modeling, it is
possible to assess land suitability with higher accuracy.
In addition, the modeling done in this study provides an
approach to the improvement of rice yields by enhancing
the component of modeling input. In conclusion, the land
suitability map for rice established using GIS can enhance
the planning alternatives within the area with a meaningful
strategy in terms of location. Therefore, the present model
will provide logical guidance for new land allocation for
the cultivation of rice and potentially for other crops.