Knowledge about quantifiable spatial variability and spread of the soil physico-chemical parameters is critical for elucidating the ecosystem functioning and designing the sustainable soil-plant-environment management practices. The spatial variability of soil parameters of apple orchards of Kashmir have not been reported so far. Therefore, the study examined the soil spatial distribution of selected soil properties through classical and ordinary kriging technique of geostatistical approach to acquire information for soil-crop specific nutrient management in the apple orchards of Kashmir. Soil samples based on topography, and land management zones identified through field observation and by the indigenous local farming knowledge were collected and analyzed for the various soil properties viz., pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), and available N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. The soil properties varied with a coefficient of variation (CV) ranging from 9.0% (pH) to 30.0% (OC). The average soil organic carbon (OC), nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were 1.17%, 251.7 kg ha⁻¹, 17.58 kg ha⁻¹, 193.9 kg ha⁻¹, 501.1 mg kg⁻¹, and 269.4 mg kg⁻¹ respectively. The parameters of the semi-variogram (nugget/sill ratio, range, and slope) signified that the spatial variation of soil properties was mutually exclusive. The spatial distribution of soil parameters was plotted by ordinary kriging (OK) based on mean square error (MSE) values of spherical (pH, N, P, K, and Ca), exponential (EC and OC), and Gaussian (Mg) models. The results of degree of spatial dependence from the semi-variogram analyses indicated a strong (17.6%) to moderate (74.2%) dependence. This study signified a broad range of spatial soil variability as the interpolated maps exhibited clear gradient in pH (5.7–6.6), EC (0.57–0.64 dSm⁻¹), OC (0.9–1.4%), N (200–320 kg ha⁻¹), P (16–21 kg ha⁻¹), K (120–280 kg ha⁻¹), Ca (660–1690 kg kg⁻¹), and Mg (370–890 kg kg⁻¹) at regional-scale. Adoption of appropriate management practices like minimum tillage, variable fertilizer application, horti-forestry measures, and site-specific practices based on the generated interpolated soil maps is critical for sustainable management of orchard soils. The spatial distribution maps of soil properties produced by this study can be used as a baseline information and an efficient tool for farm planners and managers in orchard nutrient management.

有关可量化的空间变异性和土壤理化参数分布的知识对于阐明生态系统功能和设计可持续的土壤-植物-环境管理实践至关重要。目前尚未报道克什米尔苹果园土壤参数的空间变异性。因此，本研究通过地统计学方法的经典和普通克里金技术研究了选定土壤特性的土壤空间分布，以获得克什米尔苹果园土壤作物特定养分管理的信息。收集了基于地形的土壤样本，以及通过实地观察和当地土著农业知识确定的土地管理区，并分析了各种土壤特性，即 pH、电导率 (EC)、有机碳 (OC)、和可用的 N、P、K、Ca 和 Mg。土壤特性的变异系数 (CV) 在 9.0% (pH) 到 30.0% (OC) 之间变化。平均土壤有机碳（OC）、氮（N）、有效磷（P）、钾（K）、钙（Ca）、镁（Mg）为1.17%，251.7 kg ha^-1、17.58 kg ha ^-1、193.9 kg ha ^-1、501.1 mg kg ^-1和269.4 mg kg ^-1。半变异函数的参数（块金/基石比、范围和坡度）表明土壤性质的空间变化是相互排斥的。基于球形（pH、N、P、K和Ca）、指数（EC和OC）和高斯（Mg）的均方误差（MSE）值，通过普通克里金法（OK）绘制土壤参数的空间分布楷模。半变异函数分析的空间依赖性程度的结果表明存在强 (17.6%) 至中等 (74.2%) 依赖性。由于内插图在 pH (5.7–6.6)、EC (0.57–0.64 dSm^-1 )、OC (0.9–1.4%)、N (200–320 kg ha ^-1 )、P (16–21 kg ha ^-1 )、K (120–280 kg ha ^-1 )、Ca (660–1690) kg kg ^-1 ) 和 Mg (370–890 kg kg ^-1 ) 在区域范围内。采用适当的管理实践，如最少耕作、可变施肥、园艺林业措施和基于生成的插值土壤图的特定地点实践，对于果园土壤的可持续管理至关重要。本研究产生的土壤特性空间分布图可作为基线信息和果园养分管理农场规划者和管理者的有效工具。