AEZ of Bangladesh http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/lockers/Broome_S/ssc051/Related_Links.htm http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/soilfertility/nutrienttopics/secmicronutrients.

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Concept and Definition: There are 30 AEZs in Bangladesh. The AEZ is the latest semi-technical report on the soils and agricultural systems of Bangladesh. An Agro Ecological Zone represents an area with unique combination of physiographic, soil hydrology and agro climatic characteristics. The Agro-ecological Zones of Bangladesh may be defined as the Zone classified on the basis of land type, soil characteristics, water or soil regime and agro-climatic factors. Basis/criteria of AEZ classification: 1. Physiography: Physiography is the primary element in determining and delineating the agro ecological regions of Bangladesh. Physiography is the combination of geological material in which particular kinds of soil have formed and the landscape on which they occur. Thirty-four Physiographic units and subunits have been recognized. These units have been grouped into 30 AEZ regions. 2. Soil: soils form the second element in defining and differentiating the agro ecological regions. Soil conditions determine such important properties for plant growth as moisture supply and root aeration as well as nutrient supply. General soil types, FAO/UNESCO unites and soil series according to USDA Soil Taxonomy, have been considered in defining AEZ units. 3. Hydrology/Land levels in relation to flooding: The third element of agro ecological regions is seasonal flooding. This information provides depth of flooding characteristics. Five classes have been used which are given below. High Land (H): Land, which is above normal flood level. Medium high land (MH): Land which normally is flooded up to 90 cm deep during the flood season. Medium low land (L): Land which normally is flooded between 90 cm and 180 cm deep during the flood season. Low land (L): Land which normally is flooded between 180 cm and 300 cm deep during the flood season. Very low land (VL): Land, which normally is flooded more than 300 cm during the flood season.

4. Agro climate: The agro climate forms the fourth element in defining and differentiating AEZ regions. Four agro climate zones have been recognized such as: Average length of the pre-kharif period when rainfall is intermittent and uncertain. Average length of the rainfed kharif and Rabi growing period. Average number of days in a year with minimum temperatures below 15 0C. Average number of days in a year with maximum summer temp. higher than 10 0 C. Criteria for Agro-ecological Zoning: 1. Land topography: High land (HL), Medium highland (MHL), Medium lowland (MLL), Low land (LL), Very low land (VLL). 2. Soil Characteristics; Colour, Texture, Structure, Reaction, Density, Consistency, subsoil features etc. 3. Soil moisture regime/hydrology: Soil submergence duration/depth, post monsoon recession of soil moisture, drainage etc. 4. Agro-climatic factors: Cropping season and transitional periods, thermal regimes (KPET).

Purposes/Objectives of AEZ: 1. Agricultural resources identification 2. National agricultural planning 3. Localized production planning 4. Identifying agricultural problems

5. Estimating input requirements including fertilizer and seeds 6. Planning agricultural marketing 7. Establishing agricultural industries 8. As a tool for agricultural research planning 9. Identifying agricultural extension needs 10. Environmental protection planning 11. Implementation of agriculture and environmental plans. 12. Enhancing over all agricultural development of the country

AEZ No. and Name of AEZ

1 2 3 Old Himalayan Piedmont plain Active Tista Floodplain Tista Meander Floodplain

Location
Most of Panchagarh and Thakurgoan and north-eastern parts of Dinajpur districts Nilphamari, Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts Most of greater Rangpur, eastern part of Panchagarh and Dinajpur, northern Bogra and part of Jaipurhat, Noagaon and Rajshahi districts Eastera Bogra and most of Sirajganj districts Most of Noagaon and Natore and small areas of Rajshahi, Bogra and Sirajganj. Western part of Noagaon and northern part of Nowabganj districts Eastern Part Of Kurigram Gaibandha, Bogra, Sirajganj And Pubna and Minor Areas of Dhaka, Munshiganj,Narayanganj and Chandpur districts Western parts of Sherpur, Jamalpur, and Tangail districts parts pf Manikganj, Dhaka, Munshiganj, Narayanganj and Gazipur districts and old Brahmaputra channel through Mymensingh, Kishoreganj and Narsingdi districts Large areas in Sherpur Jamalpur, Tangail, Mymensingh, Netrakona, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi and Narayanganj districts. Small areas in the east of Dhaka and Gazipur. Nowabganj, Rajshahi, Lakshipur and Barishal districts.

Exten t (km2)
4008 836 9468

Crops grown
Rice, kaon, sugarcane, jute, mustard, wheat pulses, potato Cheena, kaon, aus rice, jute, sugarcane, tobacco Rice, wheat, mustard, tobacco, potato, vegetable, spices. Rice, jute, wheat, potato, pulses, oilseeds, chilli Moro rice, deepwater aman rice Boro rice Rice, jute, cheena, mustard, rabi pulses, groundnut, sugarcane Rice, jute, wheat, barley, cheena, maize, kaon, mustard, groundnut, pulses, chilli sweet potato, vegetables.

4 5 6 7

Karatoya Bangali Floodplain Lower Atrai Basin Lower Purnabhaba Floodplain Active Brahmaputra and Jumuna Floodplain Young Brahmaputra and Jamuna Floodplain

2572 851 129 3190

5924

Old Brahmaputra Floodplain

7230

Rice, jute, wheat, sugarcane, potato, tobacco, groundnut, mustard, pulses, vegetables, spices. Jute, deepwater aman rice, Boro rice, sugarcane, pulses, groundnut, mustard, cheena, chilli, spices, tobacco, vegetables. Rice, jute, wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, potato, pulses, oilseeds, turmeric, other spices, banana, mango. Rice, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, potato, banana, spices.

1 0

Active Ganges Floodplain

3334

1 1

High Ganges River Floodplain

1 2

Low Ganges River Floodplain

Nowabganj, Rajshahi, Southern Pabna, Kustia Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenaida, Magura, Jossore, Satkhira and Khulna and minor areas in Noagaon and Narail districts. Natore, Pabna, Goalanda, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj and Sariatpur, eastern parts of Kustia, Magura and Narail

13205

7968

1 3

Ganges Tidal Floodplain

districts north-eastern parts of Khulna and Bagerhat, northern Barishal, and south-western parts of Manikganj, Dhaka and Munshigani districts Most of Barishal, Jhalakati, Pirojpur, Patukhali, Bargune, Bagerhat, Khulna and Satkhira districts. Number of separate basin areas in Madaripur, Gopalganj, Narail, Jossore, Bagerhat and Khulna districts. Munshiganj and Dhaka districts. Kishoreganj, Barmanbaria, Comilla, Chandpur, Narsingdi, and Narayanganj districts. Chandpur, Lakshipur, and Noakhali districts. Chittagong, Feni, Noakhali, Lakshipur, Bhola, Barishal, Patuakhali and Barguna districts. Kishoreganj, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Comilla, Chandpur, Feni, Noakhali, Lakshipur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Dhaka, Sariatpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj and Barishal districts. Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj and Habiganj districts.

17066

Rice, rabi crops, jute, guava, coconut, betel nut, betel leaf, vegetables.

1 4 1 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9

Gopalganj Khulna Bils Arial Bil Middle Meghna River Floodplain Lower Meghna River Floodplain Young Meghna Estuarine Floodplain Old Meghna Estuarine Floodplain

2247

Rice, jute, guava, sugarcane, vegetables. Rice, wheat, mustard, pulse, vegetables. Rice, jute, rabi crops including groundnut, chilli, mustard, wheat, khesari, sweet potato. Rice, wheat, rabi crops, especially chilli, potato mustard kaon. Rice, khesari, lentils, chilli Rice, wheat, mustard, potato, chilli, kaon, sesame, khesari.

144 1555

909 9269 7740

2 0

Eastern Surma Kusiyara Floodplain Sylhet Basin

4622

Rice, rabi crops such as vegetables, spices, sweet potato, potato, pulses, and mustard. Local boro rice aman rice, mustard and other dry land rabi crops Rice, tea.

2 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2

Northern and Eastern piedmont plains. Chittagong Coastal plain St. Marin's Coral Island Level Barind Tract High Barind Tract North-Eastern Barind Tract Madhupur Tract

Large parts of Sunamganj, Habiganj, Netrokona, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria districts. Sherpur, Netrokona, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria and, Comilla districts Chittagong, Feni, and Cox's Bazar districts St. Marin's Island Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Jaipurhat, Bogra, Noagaon, Sirajganj and Natore districts. Rajshahi, Nawabganj and Noagaon districts. Dinajpur, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Jaipurhat, and Bogra districts. Dhaka, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Tangail, Mymensingh and Kishoreganj districts. Mainly in Khagrachhari

4573

4038

3720 8 5049 1600 1079

Rice, dry land rabi crops, cowpea, coconut, betel nut. Grasses, shrubs, coconut, betelnut, rabi spices, T. aman. Rice, rabi crops especially potato, wheat. Rice, gram, barley, mustard Jackfruit, sugarcane, rice, mesta, mustard, mashkalai, potato, wheat, vegetables. Rice, pineapple, jackfruit, wheat, sugarcane, potato, rabi vegetables, groundnut, mustard. Jhum cultivation,

4244

Northern and

18171

Eastern Hills

3 0

Akhaura Terrace

Chittagong hills tracts, Bandraban, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Habiganj and Moulvibazar. Small areas in northern border of Sherpur, Mymensingh, Sunamganj and Sylhet districts, in central and south-eastern Sylhet and in the east of Brahmanbaria, Comilla and Feni district. Bramanbaria, and minor area in Habiganj districts.

bamboos, tea, rice, cotton, pulses, gourds, vegetables, maize, casava.

113

Rice, jackfruit, rabi crops.

Functions of organic matter on soil properties: Organic matter contributes to the fertility or productivity of the soil through its positive effects on the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil. The effects of organic matter on different soil properties are described here under the different subheadings: Effects on physical properties: 1. Organic matter improves the physical condition of soil such as soil structure by promoting granulation and aggregation status. 2. Water holding capacity is increased by organic matter. 3. Organic matter definitely increases the amount of available water in sandy and loamy soils. 4. The rate of infiltration and percolation of water is enhanced by the application of organic matter. 5. Organic matter reduces the evaporation of soil. 6. Organic matter affects the densities of soil especially bulk density of soil. 7. Organic matter also affects pore size distribution of soil. 8. Trashy and coarse organic matter in surface soil reduces soil erosion. 9. Surface mulches lower the temperatures in the summer and keep the soil warmer in winter. Effects on chemical properties: 1. The organic acids released into the soil during decomposition of organic matter reduce the alkalinity. 2. Organic matter provides many cations like K+, Ca ++ , and Mg ++ in exchangeable and available forms. It also holds NH4+ and thus prevents from leaching. 3. Organic matter helps to buffer soils against rapid chemical changes in pH due to the addition of lime and fertilizers. 4. Organic matter combats the toxic effects arising from fertilizers and pesticides use. 5. The addition of organic matter enriches soil with enzymes and helps biochemical reactions in soil. 6. It reduces the salinity of soil. Effects on nutritional properties: 1. Organic matter serves as reservoir of chemical elements that are essential for plant growth. It supplies almost about 93-97% N, 97% S and 80% P to plants. Besides this, organic matter enriches soil with N by providing energy to nitrogen fixing organisms. 2. Phosphorus tied up as insoluble Ca, Fe & Al phosphates release into soluble forms through action of organic acids produced from the decomposition of organic matter. 3. Aluminium toxicity is a major problem in acid soils. Soils with high organic matter content or amended with organic matter supply low concentration of Al and reduce Al toxicity. 4. The availability of micronutrients is to some extent controlling by the amount of organic matter in soil. Effects on 1. 2. 3. biological properties: Organic matter provides energy for microorganisms. It provides food for rodents, ants, earthworms etc. Organic matter strongly activates microorganisms and many microbial processes are intensified significantly by the addition of organic matter in soil. 4. Organic substances in soil can have a direct physiological effect on plant growth. Some compounds, such as certain phenolic acids, have phytotoxic properties; others, such as the auxins, enhance plant growth.