Relationship Between Chemical Properties of Soils Cultivated with Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) and Base Cation Saturation Ratios (BCSR)

Abstract

This research was conducted to determine the fertility status of lands used for safflower cultivation in the Kırşehir province. For this purpose, the physical and chemical properties, as well as the nutrient concentrations of soils sampled from safflower cultivation areas, were analyzed. The results revealed that the soils generally exhibited slightly to moderately alkaline reactions and had very high lime content. The Ca/K (calcium/potassium) and Ca/Mg (calcium/magnesium) ratios were determined to have risen significantly, averaging 55.60 and 16.90, respectively. These findings indicate that the cation ratios are far above the ideal levels. While deficiencies in microelements such as manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu) were not observed, it was found that 80% of the soils were deficient in iron (Fe) and 60% were deficient in zinc (Zn). Regarding macroelements, no significant deficiencies were identified in the majority of soils. The high lime content of the soils appears to lead to elevated calcium (Ca) levels, which in turn causes deviations from the ideal cation ratios. Moreover, it should be noted that excess calcium in the region may have an antagonistic effect on potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg). Therefore, fertilizer management should be carefully tailored to address this issue. Additionally, due to the high pH and lime content in the region, challenges in the uptake of microelements may arise. Incorporating Fe and Zn, which are frequently deficient in the soils, into fertilization programs is recommended. Furthermore, foliar fertilizers are considered a potential alternative for microelement supplementation.