Genesis and Mineralogical properties as influenced by topography and ground water table and Land Suitability Evaluation for Kaftar Region of Fars Province

Genesis، classification and study of physicochemical، mineralogical and morphological properties of soils of kaftar region in the north of Fars province (Eghlid)، was conducted. This region has xeric soil moisture regime and mesic soil temperature regime and its area is about 10،000 hectares. The mean annual rainfall and temperature were 508 mm and 12 degrees of Celsius، respectively. The main objectives of this investigation were study of physical، chemical and mineralogical properties of soils of the region، study of effective factors of formation and genesis of soils of the region and their classification and land suitability evaluation of land under cultivation of irrigated wheat، study of soil clay minerals and their effects on formation and genesis of soils of the region. Five physiographic units consist of five physiographic units، namely gravelly colluvial fans، Piedmont plains، Low lands، Mountains and Hills were identified. Topography and the underground water table changes were known as the most important factors of soil formation of this region. Entisols، Inceptisols،vertisols and Alfisols are four soil orders that have been found. Clay mineralogy studies showed the presence of chlorite، illite، smectite، interstratified minerals، and quartz (in clay size). Illite and chlorite have inheritance origin and are generally considered to be weatherable minerals and could be changed because of transformation reactions into interstratified minerals and smectite. The result for qualitative land suitabilities have been shown critical، unfit and fairly suitable for wheat cultivation Keywords Illite; Clay Minerals; Physiographic Units; Land Suitability; Irrigated Wheatn