Nutrient management zones for citrus based on variation in soil properties and tree performance
Site-specific soil management can improve profitability and environmental protection of citrus groves having large spatial variation in soil and tree characteristics. The objectives of this study were to identify soil factors causing tree performance decline in a variable citrus grove, and to develop soil-specific management zones based on easily measured soil/tree parameters for variable rate applications of appropriate soil amendments. Selected soil properties at six profile depths (0–1.5 m), water table depth, ground conductivity, leaf chlorophyll index, leaf nutrients and normalized difference vegetation index were compared at 50 control points in a highly variable 45-ha citrus grove.