RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS AND PLANT NUTRIENT CONTENT OF LEAVES IN THE APPLE ORCHARDS

Abstract

This study was carried out in 42 orchards located in the lowland of Develi, where the apple cultivation is intense in Kayseri province. The analyses were made to determine pH, CaCO3, EC, organic matter, available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu) in soil samples and nitrogen (N), P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, and boron (B) in leaf samples. In the study, the relationships between some physical and chemical properties of the soils and the plant nutrient content of the leaves were evaluated by correlation analysis. In the study, between some physical and chemical properties of soils and the nutritional elements of soils and leaves were found important statistical relations. These relationships were mostly between soil samples rather than leaves. On the other hand, the pH and EC values of the soils showed less significant relationships with the nutrient contents of the samples according to the organic matter and CaCO3 contents of soils. It was determined that the organic matter content of the soils had a positive relationship with all the investigated elements except phosphorus. It has been determined that the relationship between the CaCO3 content and nutritional elements in the soils is statistically significant, it has a positive correlation with potassium and calcium and a negative correlation with other investigated elements. No significant relationships were found between the nutrient contents of the soils and the macro element contents of the leaves. While some important statistical relationships were determined between nutrient contents of the soils and micro element contents of the leaves, the highest correlation was determined between copper and boron contents. It was determined that the copper content of the leaves was positively related to the phosphorus, potassium and magnesium content of the soils and negatively related to the manganese content of the soils.