The fertility conditions and mapping of alluvial soils in Efeler district of Aydın

Objective: Soil constitutes the basic element in ensuring global and national food security and all its characteristics must be defined on a scientific scale. With the conducted study; regular and systematic collection of data obtained by using geographic information systems in a database will simplify the monitoring and reinterpretation of soil variables with new data. Determining the adequacy of soils regarding the examined nutrients will allow the revelation of sufficiency and deficiency levels and will provide a significant information source for fertilizer production planning and determining the type and quantity of fertilizers required each region. Material and Methods: Topographic maps were employed as the primary cartographic material for the studied area. Data available on topographic maps, such as contour lines, streams, irrigation, and drainage channels, were digitized and transferred to the database. The MAP application was utilized to determine the sampling points for the study area. A total of 100 soil samples were collected from two different depths at the determined points. The results of physical and chemical analyses performed in the lab were input into the ARCGIS 9.3 program, and distribution maps were generated using the geostatistical method. Results: Leveraging the geographic information system, previous research was examined and areas of the study site that hadn't been sampled were mapped by estimating the values of each feature using the kriging interpolation method, known for its high accuracy. The percentage distribution ratios were also established. The general characteristics of the alluvial soils in the study area are slightly alkaline, non-saline, moderately calcareous, with a low organic matter content. They have a loamy and sandy loam texture with high phosphorus and calcium values, high Mg, Na, and iron values, and sufficient levels of Zn and Cu. However, the Mn content was found to be low. Conclusion: The study revealed the productivity conditions of alluvial lands with high agricultural potential in the Efeler district of Aydın province. Recommendations were made for enhancing soil fertility and ensuring sustainability using the produced spatial data. The productivity maps generated for two different soil depths will contribute to future studies, and the created database will allow for the tracking of traceability and temporal changes.