Soil pH, governed by the relative concentrations of hydrogen () and hydroxyl () ions, is a key factor affecting the chemical, physical, and biological properties of soils. Most soils in Türkiye are alkaline due to calcareous parent material and climatic influences, which restricts the availability of essential nutrients to plants. Sulphur applications are widely employed to reduce soil pH and increase nutrient bioavailability. The use of Sulphur for the amelioration of alkaline soils will continue to be a crucial strategy for enhancing agricultural sustainability in the future. This study investigates the effects of different Sulphur sources on the pH of sandy and clay-loam texture soils. This study investigates the effects of different Sulphur sources on the pH of sandy and clay loam textured soils. The soil samples used in the research were taken from Pınarbaşı and Melikgazi districts of Kayseri province, and soil samples were taken from both regions from a depth of 30 cm and from 20 randomly determined different points. Sulphur applications were applied at rates of (0, 0.02, 0.04 g 100 g-1) (X: powdered Sulphur ) and (0, 0.044, 0.088 g 100 g-1) (Y: granular Sulphur ) based on weight for clay-loam and sandy textured soils, respectively. Samples taken on days 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 180, and 360 post-applications showed that the impact of Sulphur applications on soil pH change was significant across all treatments (p<0.01). The lowest pH measurement, 6.92, was observed in sandy textured soils with an application from granular Sulphur at 0.088 g 100 g-1. The pH change in clay-loam textured soils was found to range from 8.13 to 7.79, and in sandy textured soils from 7.69 to 6.92. These changes suggest that the acidifying effect of Sulphur oxidation on soil pH varies depending on the soil’s buffering capacity, particle size ratio, application rate, and incubation day. Consequently, the granular Sulphur was found to be more effective compared to the control and powdered Sulphur , and an application rate of 0.088 g 100 g-1 might be effective for both clay-loam and sandy soils. However, due to its lack of economic feasibility, 0.044 g dose or the doses from powdered Sulphur might be more appropriate.

This study was conducted to compare the effect of different cover crop treatments on DTPA-extractable micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu) and soil pH in an apricot orchard with clay texture located in Malatya province of Turkey. For this purpose, 5 different experimental groups (Vicia villosa Roth (VV), Vicia pannonica Crantz (VP), Vicia pannonica Crantz and Tritikale mixture (70% + 30%, respectively) (VPT), Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth (PT), Fagopyrum esculentum Moench (FE)) and 3 control groups (mechanically cultivated (MC), herbicide treatment (HC) and bare control plot (BC)) were used in the apricot orchards. The soils were sampled from 0–20 cm and 20-40 cm depths in each plot for soil analyses. According to the obtained results, while cover crop treatments reduced pH values of soils according to the bare control, the cover crops increased the Fe, Mn and Zn contents of soils in the 0-20 cm soil depth. The highest Ext-Fe, Mn and Zn contents were obtained in the VV (14.83mg kg-1, 8.42 mg kg-1, 1.03 mg kg-1, respectively) at the 0-20 cm soil depth. As compared to bare control, highest percent increases in Fe, Mn and Zn contents were determined in the VV 27.73%, 31.69% and 37.54%, respectively. The greatest significant negative correlations in the VV treatment were observed between pH and Fe (-0.985**), between pH and Mn (-0.945**) and between pH and Zn (-0.764*). The greatest significant negative correlations in the VP treatment were observed between pH and Fe (-0.948**), between pH and Mn (-0.928**) and between pH and Zn (-0.722*). It was concluded based on current findings that cover crops, especially Vicia villosa Roth and Vicia pannonica Crantz could be incorporated into cropping systems to improve micronutrients and to provide a sustainable soil management.