Evaluation of Malatya province soils for apricot cultivation

Malatya is the world’s leading region in terms of dried apricot production. Understanding the optimal soil conditions for apricot growth is crucial for enhancing production. This study evaluated the soil fertility status of apricot orchards in Malatya province by analyzing key physicochemical soil properties and mapping their spatial variability using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Malatya soils generally have high lime content (26.79%), neutral to slightly alkaline pH (7.25–8.13), high levels of Ca (5534.40 mg kg⁻¹) and K (633.25 mg kg⁻¹), moderate Fe (3.26 mg kg⁻¹), and low levels of organic matter, Zn (0.48 mg kg⁻¹), Mn (5.72 mg kg⁻¹), and B (0.33 mg kg⁻¹). While high levels of Ca and K improve fruit flavor, aroma, vitamin, and mineral content, limited availability of micronutrients restricts yield. Therefore, reducing soil pH with sulfur or acidic materials, improving soil properties by organic matter addition, and supplementing deficient micronutrients with foliar or soil applications are important for sustainable apricot production and yield improvement.