The Relationships Between Some Physical-Chemical Properties and the Nutrient Content of Soils Where Tobacco is Cultivated in the Gediz Basin

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the soil fertility of the Gediz Basin, where tobacco is widely grown. Soil samples were taken from 60 points at a depth of 0-30cm, and various physico-chemical characteristics and nutritional elements were determined. According to the results of the study, the soils were generally sandy-loamy in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction, calcareous, good in terms of organic matter and in no danger from salinity. The soils of the area are generally found to be inadequate in total nitrogen (94%) and available potassium (62%), and adequate in available P (70%), available Ca (85%), and available Mg (56%). The available Fe (83%) and available Cu (92%) content of the soils was adequate, but available Zn (86%) and available Mn (85%) content was generally inadequate. In a statistical evaluation, positive correlations were found between soil pH-Electrical Conductivity (EC), pH-lime, pH-silt, pH-clay, pH-K, pH-Ca, EC-N, EC-P, EC-K, EC-Ca, EC-Cu, EC-Zn, organic matter (OM)-N, OM-P, OM-Ca, OM-Cu, OM-Zn, % sand-Fe, clay-K, clay-Ca, clay-Mg and Kil-Cu contents, and significant negative correlations between pH-sand, pH-Fe, pH-Zn and pH-Mn, and OM-sand, % sand-clay, sand-silt, sand-K, sand-Ca, sand-Cu and clay-Fe content. With regard to nutrient elements, positive correlations were found between N-P, N-Ca, N-Cu, N-Zn, P-Cu, K-Mg, Mg-Fe, Mg-Cu, Fe-Cu, Fe-Zn, Fe-Mn, Cu-Zn, Cu-Mn, Zn-Cu and Zn-Mn, and strong negative correlations between Ca-Fe. Due to the insufficiency of nitrogen, zinc and manganese elements which directly affect the quality characteristics of tobacco, it is useful to consider them in the fertilization programs in the region.