45. Group of Soil Series No.45

This group of soils is well drained and shallow with lateritic or ironstone layer in less than 50 cm. depth below the surface. They commonly occupy in erosional surface of high precipitation areas. Soils in this group are Chomphon (Cp), Hat Yai (Hy), Chlong Chak (Kc), Khao Khat (Kkt), Nong Khla (Nok), Tha Chang (Tac), Yala (Ya) series.                Majority of the land uses are tree crops i.e. rubber, oil palm, rambutan and mangosteen.

Problems : Low fertility shallow soils to skeletal layer (0-50 cm), gravels or rock fragment on the soil surface, lack of water in dry season and soil erosion on steep slope.

Management for upland crops or vegetables : Upland and vegetable crops could be grown on thick top soils without gravel or laterite with crop rotation. It needs to be improved with 3-4 ton/rai compose fertilizer or animal manure or mixed green manure (broadcast 10-12 kg/rai sword bean , 8-10 kg/rai cow pea or 6-8 kg/rai Crotalaria juncia) with soils before flowering and leave for 1-2 weeks. Chemical or liquid LDD fertilizer will also be applied according to recommendation . Farm ponds are recommended to preserve water to be used in dry season.

Management for orchard : Soil preparation in 75*75*75 pit is to mix 25-50 kg compose fertilizer or animal manure. Conserve the soils by cover crops, mulching, and contour or fencing the tree with vetiver. Application of compose fertilizer or animal manure with chemical or liquid LDD fertilizer at vegetative growth, before and after harvesting. Farm ponds are recommended to preserve water to be used in dry season.