Spatial Evaluation of Permissible Orchard Areas Within Agricultural Production Planning in the Northern Aegean Basin (Çanakkale Region)
APPLIED FRUIT SCIENCE, cilt.68, sa.4, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 68 Sayı: 4
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10341-026-01922-0
- Dergi Adı: APPLIED FRUIT SCIENCE
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts
- Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The aim of this study is to identify the areas where orchard establishment is permissible under the Agricultural Production Planning Regulation, which came into force in T & uuml;rkiye in 2023. The study covers the Northern Aegean Basin portion of & Ccedil;anakkale. Within this scope, suitability analyses were conducted in a Geographic Information System (GIS) by integrating the constraints defined in the regulation with topographic characteristics and land-use data. In accordance with the regulation, slope was considered the primary parameter in the analysis. Areas with more than 6% were included in the evaluation, and suitability was evaluated based on additional land characteristics. For a more detailed analysis, slope values were further classified into three categories: 6-12%, 12-18%, and 18-30%. In addition, CORINE 2018 land-use data were used to exclude existing orchards, paddy fields, forests, pastures, and natural areas from the analysis. The results indicated that approximately 39,605 ha of land are suitable for orchard establishment under current regulatory constraints. Of this total, nearly 60% consists of slightly sloped areas (S1; 6-12%), highlighting their priority in orchard planning. In contrast, areas within the 12-18% (S2) and 18-30% (S3) slope classes face increasing topographic limitations; however, they still offer potential for fruit species well adapted to marginal conditions. The study area exhibits a high degree of geological and geomorphological variability. In this context, where structural, erosional, and sedimentary processes shape the landscape, structural and erosional formations were identified as the primary controlling factors for orchard establishment within the regulatory framework. Depending on this geomorphological diversity, landforms, micro-surface features, and soil depth are the main parameters limiting fruit cultivation. The integration of regulation-based approaches with GIS-supported spatial analyses has been shown to provide an effective decision-support tool for farmers, cooperatives, and policymakers. However, considering only slope and land-use parameters is a limitation of the study. Future research should incorporate soil properties, climatic factors, and crop-specific requirements to achieve more comprehensive and realistic outcomes.