This study presents an integrated geospatial analysis of land suitability for sunflower cultivation in Sic locality (Cluj County, Romania), using GIS techniques and data derived from satellite imagery and digital elevation models. The main objective is to identify and map optimal agricultural areas by considering a set of key environmental and pedological factors, including soil type and texture, terrain slope, groundwater depth, erosion risk, and relief characteristics. The methodology involves the integration of thematic spatial datasets within a GIS environment, followed by the extraction of morphometric parameters such as slope and terrain configuration from a digital elevation model. Soil texture and type are analyzed using available pedological maps, while erosion susceptibility is assessed through terrain analysis and spatial modeling. Groundwater depth is incorporated as a limiting factor, given the sensitivity of sunflower crops to excessive soil moisture conditions. A multi-criteria evaluation approach based on the Weighted Overlay method is applied to combine all influencing factors and to classify the study area into different suitability classes. The resulting maps highlight spatial patterns of highly suitable, moderately suitable, and unsuitable areas for sunflower cultivation. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of GIS-based approaches in agricultural land assessment and provide valuable decision-support tools for sustainable land management, crop planning, and erosion risk mitigation in rural environments.

GIS, sunflower, groundwater

geodesy engineering

Presentation: poster