Availability of Iron From the Soils of the Vega Media Del Rio Segura (Murcia, Southeast of Spain).

Abstract

In the present paper, the availability of iron in the soils of the Vega Media of the Segura river (Murcia) is studied, a periurban area of traditional orchards in which a wide variety of fruit and vegetable crops are installed and with an industrial zone, since there are several industrial estates. The soils present in the study area are calcaric Fluvisols, in use or abandoned, and calcaric Regosols (IUSS-WRB, 2022) dedicated to industrial use. Its pH and calcium carbonate content are studied, finding that only a very small part of the total iron is assimilable, at these pH values and calcium carbonate content. There are highly significant statistical differences between both types of soils in terms of assimilable iron (0.001712 for p<0.001) but not in total iron. Regarding use, there are also significant differences between agricultural and industrial use, but not between abandoned soils and those currently cultivated. The objective is to achieve sustainable and resilient agropolitan systems.