Assessment of Soil Quality for Vineyard Fields: A Case Study in Menderes District of Izmir, Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the suitable classification of soil quality for vineyard fields of Akçaköy, Çatalca, Efemçukuru, Görece and Yeniköy villages in Menderes district of Izmir-Turkey. In vineyard fields, soil pH gave a positive relation with Ca and significant negative relations with P, Fe, Mn and Zn contents. Soil organic matter (OM) content had significant positive relations with EC, P, Fe, Mn and Zn and significant negative relations with bulk density and CaCO <inf>3</inf> content. Soil quality index values for the vineyard fields varied between 0.38 and 0.85 with a mean of 0.57. Only one of the 28 soil samples taken from different vineyard fields was found in very suitable (S <inf>1</inf> :1.00-0.75) class, 8 in suitable (S <inf>2</inf> :0.75-060), 12 in marginal suitable (S <inf>3</inf> :0.60-0.50) and 7 in non-suitable (N:<0.50) class according to the soil quality index (SQI). Restricting soil factors for vine growth in the fields classified in S <inf>2</inf> and S <inf>3</inf> classes generally became low pH, low organic matter (OM), P, Fe, Mn, Cu, Mg and K contents than that of suggested levels. In addition to restring factors in S <inf>2</inf> and S <inf>3</inf> classes, physical properties in soils classified in N class were lower than suggested levels. The SQI values showed significant positive relations with grape yield, soil OM, P, K, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn contents and significant negative relations with soil pH, exch. Ca and CaCO <inf>3</inf> contents. The grape yields had also positive relations with soil OM, Fe, Mn, Zn contents and negative correlations with soil pH and CaCO <inf>3</inf> content. Soil quality in a vineyard field should be assessed to reach successful sustainable and precision agricultural practices for high crop production. © 2019 Federation of Eurasian Soil Science Societies. All rights reserved.