Organic Farming by Using Different Desert Soiles; Could it be an Alternative to Fertilizers?

It is shown that Saharan soil has the potential of producing bioavailable iron when illuminated with visible light and also it contains some essential macronutrient and micronutrient elements. In this study, these properties of the desert soil were tested on the certified wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L. var. gonen 98) using Hewitt nutrient solution, illuminated and non-illuminated soil solutions from Sahran desert and Ankara city and Zabol. Deionized water was used as a control solution. Wheat cultivar, displayed comparable results when grown in illuminated Saharan dust solutions and Hewitt solution. Results showed that dust from Saharan desert could act as a source of natural fertilizer under specific conditions and could be utilized in “true” organic farming.