Determination of Suitable Extraction Method for the Available Iron (Fe) Content of Calcareous Soils

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine the most suitable extraction method for the available iron contents of calcareous soils in Trakya Region, Turkey. For this purpose ten calcareous soil samples were taken from research area and five extraction methods (Lindsay and Norvell, Wear and Evans, Olson, Soltanpur and Mehlich methods) were used and three biological indices (dry matter yield, Fe concentration, Fe uptake) were compared. The plant biological indices were determined with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plant grown under greenhouse conditions. At the end of the experiment, the highest correlation coefficients (r) were determined between the 0.005 M DTPA + 0.01 M CaCl2 + 0.1 M TEA, 0.005 M DTPA + 1 M NH4HCO3 methods and the biological indices. The correlation coefficients (r) for the 0.005 M DTPA + 0.01 M CaCl2 + 0.1 M TEA method and the three biological indices were 0.648**, 0.780** and 0.656** respectively. For the 0.005 M DTPA + 1 M NH4HCO3 method, these coefficients were determined 0.595**, 0.637** and 0.625**, respectively. Consequently, these extraction methods were suggested for the determination of the available Fe contents of the calcareous soils in Trakya Region, Turkey.