Study of Some Morphological and Pedological Properties of the Soils in Dawodi Plain , Tooz Khurmato, Salah Al-Din

Mohammed, Goran Safar; Azeez, Dalshad Rasol; Amin, Salah J.

doi:10.58928/ku25.16423

	Study of Some Morphological and Pedological Properties of the Soils in Dawodi Plain , Tooz Khurmato, Salah Al-Din
Kirkuk University Journal for Agricultural Sciences (KUJAS)
Volume 16, Issue 4, December 2025, Pages 210-222 PDF (1003.87 K)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.58928/ku25.16423
Authors
goran Safar Mohammed^* ¹; Dalshad Rasol Azeez²; Salah J. Amin³
¹University of Kirkuk - College of Agriculture كوران صفر محمد
²University of Kirkuk - College of Agriculture
³Department of Soil and Water Resources, College of Agriculture, University of Kirkuk, Kirkuk, IRAQ.
Abstract
The study area (Dawodi Plain) is located in the northeastern part of Iraq, Salah Al-Din Governorate. It covers a total area of 70,622 hectares, situated between longitudes (44° 55' 39" – 44° 33' 27") E and latitudes (34° 48' 48" – 35° 08' 30") N. The region experiences a climate characterized by rainy winters and hot summers, with an annual rainfall of less than 383 mm and an average annual temperature of 22°C. The soil moisture regime is classified as Aridic, while the soil temperature regime is Hyper thermic. The area has a plain morphology with a gentle slope of 2-5%.Five sites were selected for soil profile sampling, where one profile was excavated at each site and divided into its respective horizons. A total of 25 soil samples were collected from the profiles for physical, chemical, and morphological analyses. The study revealed that the pH values of the studied profiles ranged from slightly alkaline to neutral. The CK3 horizon of Profile 2 recorded the highest pH value (8.1), while the Ap horizon of Profile 1 had the lowest pH value (7.1). Additionally, pH values were generally higher in surface horizons compared to subsurface horizons. Most of the studied profiles exhibited low salt content, except for the Ap horizon of Profile 1. Calcium carbonate content was found to increase in subsurface layers. Gypsum content varied in Profiles 1, 2, and 5, while no gypsum was detected in Profiles 3 and 4. All studied profiles featured a surface diagnostic horizon of the Ochric type and a subsurface diagnostic horizon of the Calcic type. According to the USDA soil taxonomy, the soils were classified as Typic Haplocalcids, while under the WRB system, they were classified as Haplic Hypercalcic Calcisols.
Keywords
Douadi plain; diagnostic horizons; Soil Taxonomy; Calcic horizon

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