Author(s): J. Devi Prasad, I.I. Bashour and A. Al-Shanghitti
Article publication date: 1984-03-01
Vol. 2 No. 1 (yearly), pp. 250-257.
154
Keywords
agriculture, micronutrients, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu) contents in 102 soil samples selected from major agricultural areas (Al-Kharj, Al-Hasa, Qasim, Taif, and Wadi Dawasir) representing a wide range of soils cultivated for crop production in Saudi Arabia, were analyzed by the DTPA method. Values in parts per million in the surface soils of the 23 locations ranged rom 1.10 to 11.70 for Fe, 0.12 to 3.20 for Zn, 0.40 to 26.0 for Mn and 0.20 to 3.20 for Cu. None of the surface soils showed Cu deficiency, and only 2% of the samples were deficient in Mn. Iron was deficient in 78% of the samples and Zn in 70% of the samples. Distribution of Zn and Cu throughout the profile below the surface layers was uniform with larger amounts in surface horizons. Contents of Fe and Mn generally decreased with depth.