THE EFFECTS OF SOME SOIL PROPERTIES ON SOLUBLE SOLIDS (⁰BRIX) OF PROCESSING TOMATO

This research has been carried out to identify effects of soil properties on °Brix of processing tomatoes in Aegean and south Marmara regions of Turkey. 56 soil samples at a depth of 0-30 cm were collected from Torbalı and Karacabey districts There were positive correlations between °Brix and soil available potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), lime, organic matter contents and pH, whereas there were negative correlations with salt and available Na contents in both locations. The correlation coefficients were significant for available K and Mg contents (P<0.01), and for the number of irrigations (P<0.05). In presence of high available K and Mg content in soil, decreasing irrigation and yield were the most effective factors on increasing Brix degree of processing tomato.