DETERMINATION OF SOIL PROPERTIES OF APPLE ORCHARD IN DUHOK PROVINCE, NORTHERN IRAQ

Abstract

A field survey was carried out on apple orchards within four different rural areas at Duhok province, north of Iraq during the growing season of 2018-2019. The survey consisted of three apple orchards, that were chosen for sampling, in four different villages of Duhok province in north of Iraq (Bagira, Babire, Dillia and Kanimassi). In order to determine some soil properties, four soil samples were taken from each orchard, and the number of samples taken for the entire research was forty-eight. Some soil properties including soil texture, EC, pH, O.M, O.C, and CaCO3 and nutrients contents were analysed. According to analyses result soil samples were in silty loam and loam texture classes. Soil pH, EC and CaCO3, organic carbon (OC) and organik matter (OM) values were determined in range of 6.69-7.75, 0.340 dSm1 - 1.160 dSm1 , 8.95 % - 25.23 % , 0.60 % - 2,83 % and 1.04 % - 4.88 % respectively. On the other hand deficiencies were determined in phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) contents of soils in some sites of study area.