Agroecological zoning of Gorgan agricultural lands for hulless barley cropping base on Boolean logic

This research was conducted to zoning of Gorgan agricultural lands for hulless barley cropping using evaluation of some environmental factors base on Boolean logic and by geographic information system. For this purpose, agro-ecological requirements of hulless barley firstly, identified according to scientific resources. Rating and thematic requirement maps were then provided. Studied environmental-components were: average, minimum and maximum temperatures, precipitation, slope percent, elevation, and soil characteristics (OM, pH, EC and texture). Then, each layer is classified into suitable (1value) and non- suitable (0 value) classes base on Boolean logic. The digital environmental layers overlaid in ArcGIS media. The results showed that most areas of Gorgan agricultural lands were suitable for hulless barley, so that about 46396.93 hectares of northern and middle parts of Gorgan are the suitable zone. It was found that OM and EC factors were suitable for hulless barley in total studied area. Also, about 16654.64 hectares of present agricultural lands of Gorgan were not suitable for this crop and these areas had at least one limitation in ecological resources. The non-suitable regions were located in the central and south of Gorgan township. Moreover, results showed that the limitation factors were including: non-suitable texture classes, high slope percent, elevation and EC. In this study, it was found that climate parameters of average, minimum and maximum temperatures had not limitation for hulless barley growing in agricultural lands of Gragan.