Short communication
Field monitoring was conducted to evaluate the chemical properties of 158 orchard soils in Gyeongnam Province every four years from 2002 to 2022. In 2022, the pH of the orchard soils was 6.2, indicating a suitable level within the optimum range. The percentage of soils within the optimum pH range was 35.4%, whereas 46.2% were below the optimum level. The organic matter content significantly increased from 2002, reaching 42 g kg-1 in 2022. Available phosphate consistently exceeded the optimum level from 2002 and increased to 900 mg kg-1 by 2022. Exchangeable potassium and calcium levels were maintained at 1.6 and 1.5 times higher than their respective optimum upper limits, whereas the deficiency rate of exchangeable magnesium reached 51.3%. Principal component analysis (PCA) of subsoil chemical properties over the years indicated that PC1 was associated with exchangeable calcium content, and PC2 was related to pH, which was thought to result from applying soil amendments. Regarding soil texture, the surface soil and subsoil of fine sandy loam showed significantly higher pH values than other soil textures. The organic matter content was significantly higher in the subsoil of the loamy fine sand. The topographic distribution of orchard fields in Gyeongnam Province includes local valleys and fans, mountain foot slopes, alluvial plains, hills and mountains, and diluvium deposits. Effective nutrient management in orchard soils requires consideration of chemical properties and physical characteristics, including topography. These results indicate that balanced management of soil chemical properties can optimize fertilizer application for sustainable agriculture in orchards.
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10.7745/KJSSF.2024.57.4.411- Publisher :Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer
- Publisher(Ko) :한국토양비료학회
- Journal Title :Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
- Journal Title(Ko) :한국토양비료학회 학회지
- Volume : 58
- No :4
- Pages :590-598
- Received Date : 2025-06-26
- Revised Date : 2025-09-10
- Accepted Date : 2025-09-13
- DOI :https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2025.58.4.590
Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
