Accumulation of copper in soils and leaves of tomato plants in greenhouses in Turkey

Copper (Cu)‐containing fertilizers, fungicides, and bactericides has been used extensively in the greenhouses in the Antalya province in recent decades with the use of such materials tending to increase year by year. The level of DTPA‐extractable Cu was determined in 210 soils (0–20 and 20–40 cm depth) and 105 leaf samples obtained from 105 tomato greenhouses. The DTPA‐extractable Cu contents of the soils taken from the 0–20 depth ranged between 0.76 and 88.03 mg kg^‐1 (mean 7.79 mg kg^‐1). The percentage of soils containing DTPA‐extractable Cu greater than the critical toxicity level (20 mg kg^‐1) was 8.1. The Cu content of tomato leaf samples ranged between 2.4 and 1,490 mg kg^‐1 (mean 166.5 mg kg^‐1). The Cu concentration in leaf samples was very high due to the intensive use of foliar applied Cu‐containing chemicals. As a consequence, 24.8% of the leaf tomato samples analyzed contained over 200 mg Cu kg^‐1, the maximum accepted tolerance level. Therefore, it may be necessary to reduce the use of Cu‐containing pesticides and fertilizers, or at least reduce the amount of Cu‐containing fertilizers being used in those greenhouses where Cu‐containing pesticides have been or are being used.