Plant-soil-nutrient status of vegetables and wheat grown on calcareous soil

Calcareous soil is extremely important in determining nutrient status and availability when applying different fertilizers to different crops associated with or without irrigation. The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional status (nutrient availability) of different plants grown in two different ecosystems dominated with calcareous soil: Ghor Alsafi (eggplants, tomato and beans) as an example of irrigated area and the Karak Mountain Area (wheat) as an example for non-irrigated area. Physiochemical properties in soils and nutrients concentrations (C, Fe, Mn, Zn, available P, available and non-available K) in soil and plant leaves were analyzed. This study showed that N concentration in soil from both Ghor Alsafi (ranged from 4.4–5.1 mg/g) and the Karak Mountain Area (1.9–3.2 mg/g) was relatively low. This study showed that Fe content in vegetables grown in Ghor Alsafi was about 3 to 5 fold higher than the recommended maximum Fe concentration. The concentration of other nutrients (N, K, Zn and Mn) in investigated vegetables fell within the recommended concentrations range (38.3–39.7 mg/g, 36.6–39.5 mg/g, 21.7–27.3 ppm and 49.2–102.6 ppm, respectively). Phosphorus content in vegetables grown in Ghor Alsafi and in wheat grown in different locations in the Karak Mountain Area was about 5?6 fold higher than the recommended P concentration. Our results indicated that the high levels of P (ranged from 3.28–3.43 mg/g) and Fe (ranged from 340.4–551.3 ppm) in vegetables grown in Ghor Alsafi and high levels of P (ranged from 2.2–2.52 mg/g) in wheat in the Karak Mountain Area can be attributed to high levels of fertilizer application.