10 Fertilizer use by crop in the Islamic Republic of Iran

FIGURE 5
Map of agro-ecological zones of Iran

0(
co
l d ) 90

210
180
150
120

120
90 120
0(

90
33 36
co 0 ( 120
ld) 120 co
240 0( ld )

0
270

0
co

30
0 (warm) ld )
15 120 0 (c
0 old
15 )
0 0 (cold)

0 (warm)
18 12 75 ) 75
12 rm
Legend 0 0 0 wa
0(
150

90 0
120

(c
Be- Eutric Cambisols75 15 ol
0 d) 0(
21 co
Bk- Calcic Cambisols ld )
15180 0
Ge- Eutric Gleysols 0
I- Lithosols 0
(c 0 (warm)
Jc- Calcaric Fluvisols 0 ol
15

(w d)
0

Rc- Calcaric Regosols 0 ar

(c m
ol )
Re- Eutric Regosols d)
Xh- Haplic Xerosols
Xk- Calcic Xerosols 75

0
150

(c
Xl- Luvic Xerosols 75

ol
90

d)
120 120
)
wa7590

Y-YERMOSOLS
rm

Yh- Haplic Yermosols

0(

Yk- Calcic Yermosols Length of Growing Period (in days)

Yy- Gypsic Yermosols Warm Tropics )
rm
Zg- Gleyic Solonchaks Warm Sub-Tropics (Summer Rainfall) wa
0(
Zo- Orthic Solonchaks Cool Sub-Tropics (Winter Rainfall)
0 (warm) 75
Water bodies (WA) Cold Sub-Tropics (Winter Rainfall)
Salt flats (ST) Cool Temperate 75
Dunes/Shifting sand (DS) Cold Temperate
Geographic Projection

Zone 3 Northwestern zone: This zone covers the north west part of
country. It has seasonal dry periods, moderate summers and
extreme winters.
Zone 4 Central Zagros zone: With good rainfall in winter, this region
is characterized by dry, warm winds in May-June.
Zone 5 Khuzestan zone: Extreme transpiration, very hot and humid,
this zone in winter has temperatures which can go below 0oC.
Zone 6 Arid central zone: To the east of this zone is the dry Dasht-e
-Kavir desert. But there are parts to the west which receive
good rainfall.
Zone 7 Southern Zagros zone: The average rainfall crosses 270 mm.
This region is characterized by extremely warm springs.
Zone 8 Southern coastal plain zone: The average temperature rarely
goes below 15oC and the rate of evapotranspiration is high in
winter. This region has seasonal dry conditions.
Chapter 2 Soils, agro-ecological zones, climate and irrigation 11

TABLE 4
Cultivated area and agricultural production by agro-ecological zone, 2001/02
Zone Cultivated area Agricultural production
(000 ha) (000 tonnes)
N Name Irrigated Rainfed Total Irrigated Rainfed Total
1 Central Zone 881 269 1 151 7 445 188 7 633
2 Caspian 840 640 1 480 4 598 3 110 7 708
Coastal Plain
Zone
3 North Western 1 829 2 357 4 186 9 655 1 930 11 585
Zone
4 Central Zagros 691 1622 2 313 5 333 188 5 521
Zone
5 Khuzestan 623 358 981 7 723 438 8 161
Zone
6 Arid Central 518 97 614 4 807 126 4 933
Zone
7 Southern 929 424 1 353 8 650 597 9 248
Zagros Zone
8 Southern 197 183 379 2 130 102 2 231
Coastal Plain
Zone
9 Arid Southern 716 14 729 4 598 25 4 623
Zone
10 Khorasan Zone 1 043 531 1 573 7 610 354 7 964
Total 8 266 6 493 14 759 62 549 7 058 69 607

Zone 9 Arid Southern zone: With cold winter and warm summers,
this zone has similar climatic conditions to zone 8 in that the
temperature rarely falls below 15oC.
Zone 10 Khorasan zone: This zone has an average rainfall between 240-
270 mm per year. It is characterized by long cold winters and
late rainfall.
Table 5 presents the areas under the major crops.
Information on the main crops, irrigated and rainfed areas under
cultivation, total fertilizer use and the fertilizer nutrient ratios, in each
province of each agro-ecological zone, is given in the Annex.
Until recently, Iran relied heavily on wheat imports to meet its
growing domestic demand. Annual imports have ranged from 2.5 to 7.5
million tonnes per annum during the past two decades, making Iran a
major world wheat importer. A record production in 2004 following an
already excellent crop in 2003 reduced imports in 2004/05 to 0.2 million
tonnes. Over the past two years, the Government has sharply increased