Determination of Nutrition Status of Apple Orchards in Doğanşehir, Malatya

Abstract

In order to determine nutrition status of the apple orchards in Doğanşehir city of Malatya Province, chemical and physical properties of soil samples, and macro and micro nutrient contents of soil and leaf samples collected from the selected orchards from different parts of the city were examined in 2017. Soil samples were collected from two depths of 0-30 cm and 30-60 cm, 1 kg from each depth, in September. Leaf samples, 100 leaves taken from head level of trees representing the related orchard, were collected 11 weeks after full blossom. Results indicated that soil texture, pH and salinity level was appropriate for apple growing, but loam content was generally high and organic matter was poor. Macro and micro nutrients were found adequate in soil samples of most of the orchards, except Mn and Zn. Sampling depth did not affected soil properties in most of the orchards. Almost all of the leaf samples contained adequate amount of N, P, Fe, and Cu, whereas inadequate level of K, Ca, and Zn. N content varied between 0.068% and 0.106% in soil samples, and between 1.78% and 2.68% in leaf samples.