Physical fertility of typical Mekong delta soils (Vietnam) and land suitability assessment foralternative crops with rice cultivation
Most of the soils in the Mekong delta, Vietnam are formed and developed during the Holocene period. The first Viet people came to reclaim and exploit this plain at the beginning of the 17th century. As a result, in the middle of the 19th century, the Mekong delta had become the largest region of agricultural production, essentially rice produce for marketing purposes. Around 1980 three rice crops in a year were applied. That system continued to increase with time within the recent past 10 years. This land use system has mainly enlarged on the areas along Hau and Tien river. Nowadays, in the Mekong delta, rice yield and production in the developing and well developed alluvial soil groups tend