Use of soil spectral reflectance to estimate texture and fertility affected by land management practices in Ethiopian tropical highland

As classical soil analysis is time-consuming and expensive, there is a growing demand for visible, near-infrared, and short-wave infrared (Vis-NIR-SWIR, wavelength 350–2500 nm) spectroscopy to predict soil properties. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of soil bunds on key soil properties and to develop regression models based on the Vis-NIR-SWIR spectral reflectance of soils in Aba Gerima, Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from the 0–30 cm soil layer in 48 experimental teff (Eragrostis tef) plots and analysed for soil texture, pH, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (av. P), and potassium (av. K). We measured reflectance from air-dried, ground, and sieved soils with a FieldSpec 4 Spectroradiometer. We used regression models to identify and predict soil properties, as assessed by the coefficient of determination (R(2)), root mean square error (RMSE), bias, and ratio of performance to deviation (RPD). The results showed high variability (CV ≥ 35%) and substantial variation (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) in soil texture, OC, and av. P in the catchment. Soil reflectance was lower from bunded plots. The pre-processing techniques, including multiplicative scatter correction, median filter, and Gaussian filter for OC, clay, and sand, respectively were used to transform the soil reflectance. Statistical results were: R(2) = 0.71, RPD = 8.13 and bias = 0.12 for OC; R(2) = 0.93, RPD = 2.21, bias = 0.94 for clay; and R(2) = 0.85 with RPD = 7.54 and bias = 0.0.31 for sand with validation dataset. However, care is essential before applying the models to other regions. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest spectroradiometry can supplement classical soil analysis. However, more research is needed to increase the prediction performance of Vis-NIR-SWIR reflectance spectroscopy to advance soil management interventions.