| Author(s) | A.S. Modaihsh, M.O. Mahjoub, A.A. Taha, and M.M. Al-Lhayan |
| Affiliation | Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia |
| Title | Status of Copper in Some Agricultural Regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Source | Journal of King Saud University. Agricultural Sciences. Volume 17, No 1. (2005/1425) |
| Abstract | Surface soil samples (0-30cm), varying in their texture and calcium carbonate contents were collected from different agricultural regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Derab, Al-Aflaj, Al-Qaseem, Al-Hassa, Hail, Jazzan, Tabouk). Samples were air-dried and crushed to pass through a 2 mm sieve, and analyzed for the various physical and chemical properties. The results indicated that total and available Cu content of the investigated soils increased with cultivation. The obtained results indicated that total copper content in the cultivated soils of Saudi Arabia ranged between 6.5 to 48.5 mgkg-1 with an average of 22.89 mgkg-1. The soil samples collected from Jazzan, and cultivated with fruit trees, contained the highest values whilst the sandy soil taken from Riyadh contained the lowest one. Available copper in the analyzed Saudi soils ranged between 0.27 to 8.26 mgkg-1, with an average of 1.81 mgkg-1. Again the soil of Jazzan, and the sandy soil of Riyadh gave the highest and the lowest values, respectively. There were positive significant correlations between total and available copper in soil (r= 0.69***), total copper in soil and organic matter (r= 0.71***) and available copper in soil and silt + clay (r=0.82***). However, there was a negative significant correlation between total copper and CaCO3 content of soil (r= -0.65**). |
