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Soil Research and Soil Mapping History

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The Soils of Sri Lanka

Part of the book series: World Soils Book Series ((WSBS))

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Abstract

The documented evidence shows that the soils of Sri Lanka were first studied according to crops grown as tea, coffee, cinnamon, rice, and forest soils as early as 1886. The first agricultural experiment in the world according to the factorial design was established in 1929 by Eden (Eden 1929) at St. Coomb’s estate of the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) where three levels each of N, P, and K were used. Soil studies initiated with classification and mapping, shifted to soil fertility and rice soils and to irrigated agriculture with settlement schemes in the Dry zone . Soils were first classified and mapped according to the parent material and then shifted to soil morphology using soil profile and characters of each horizon. Subsequently, soils were classified and mapped according to Great Soil Groups using similarity of relative sequence of soil horizons. The most recent soil maps show the Soil Taxonomic equivalents and WRB-FAO legend with soil series . Due to climatic and topographic variations as well as biodiversity , six of the twelve Soil Taxonomic orders are found in Sri Lanka. Soil Associations and Soil Complexes are used as mapping units as soils vary along the catena due to topographic factors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science, University of Peredeniya, Peredeniya, Sri Lanka

    Ranjith B. Mapa

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  1. Ranjith B. Mapa
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Correspondence to Ranjith B. Mapa .

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  1. Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    Ranjith B. Mapa

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Mapa, R.B. (2020). Soil Research and Soil Mapping History. In: Mapa, R. (eds) The Soils of Sri Lanka. World Soils Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44144-9_1

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