Abstract: To provide a solid pedotaxonomic basis for the precise planning of regional cultivated land resources, improvement of cultivated land quality and sustainable agricultural development, fifteen representative profiles of irrigated cultivated soils were selected from Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture. Diagnostic horizons and diagnostic characteristics were identified through field observation of profile morphological features and laboratory analysis of soil physicochemical properties. Taxonomic classification was conducted in accordance with the Keys to Chinese Soil Taxonomy (3rd Edition). Basic taxonomic units were established following the criteria for soil family and soil series classification, and a comparative analysis was further carried out between the results of genetic soil classification and Chinese Soil Taxonomy. The results showed that there was obvious horizon differentiation in all profiles of irrigated cultivated soils in the study area, which were classified into two great groups (irrigated silting soils and irrigated desert soils) under genetic soil classification. Under Chinese Soil Taxonomy, the 15 soil profiles belong to 2 soil orders, 2 suborders, 2 great groups, 3 subgroups, 8 soil families and 15 soil series. The comparison between genesis classification and Chinese Soil Taxonomy at both higher and basic taxonomic levels indicated that there was no one-to-one correspondence between the two classification systems for irrigated cultivated soils in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture. Long-term anthropogenic cultivation had formed surface horizons with obvious anthropic maturing features and well-developed subsurface diagnostic horizons in the profiles of irrigated desert soils. However, such soils failed to meet the retrieval criteria for Anthrosols specified in the current Keys to Chinese Soil Taxonomy (3rd Edition), and were consequently classified into the order Cambisols. This classification could not accurately reflect the dominant impacts of anthropogenic cultivation on soil-forming processes and soil properties, leading to inconsistencies between taxonomic results and actual soil development characteristics. Accordingly, it was proposed to establish a new diagnostic surface horizon named irrigated desert epipedon and a new great group irrigated desert orthic anthrosols in the Chinese Soil Taxonomy.

Key words: irrigated cultivated soil, genesis characteristics, taxonomic position, Chinese Soil Taxonomy, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture