25 Aug 2024
Leaf Analysis

Evaluation of the usefulness of early leaf analysis to improve nutrition management of citrus

The response of Citrus sinensis ‘Midknight’ (Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa) and Citrus paradisi ‘Orri’ (De Wet, Western Cape, South Africa) to excessive fertilisation (double the normal rate) with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) was investigated. The goal was to determine whether early-season leaf mineral compositions respond to fertilisation rates so that in-season adjustments of the fertilisation programme can be made.

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29 Sep 2023
Clay Soil

Effect of elemental sulphur and compost on pH, electrical conductivity and phosphorus availability of one clay soil

Suitable plant nutrition is one of the most important factors in the quantity and quality of crops’ yield. In plant nutrition, each nutrient should be in adequate level. The most important role of pH is the control of nutrients solubility in soil. Nutrient availability usually decreases with increasing pH. Experimental soil sample was collected from 0 to 30 cm depth from Niar village around the Ardabil city.The soil samples were mixed with solid acidifying material including elemental sulphur (S) in three levels (0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg soil), farm yard compost manure in three levels (2.5, 5 and 10 g/kg soil) and elemental S + organic matter in three levels (the same amounts of S with 5 g/kg cattle manure), and filled in 4 L pots. Soil water content was held close to field capacity and green house temperature was kept to 25 ± 5°C. Before the experiment, the physicochemical properties of soil and chemical properties of the compost were measured. At eight, 16 and 32 weeks of incubation, compound soil samples were collected from pots, and their pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and phosphorus (P) were measured.

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24 Jul 2023

Timing Citrus and Avocado Foliar Nutrient Applications to Increase Fruit Set and Size

The goal of this research was to identify the role essential nutrients play in the physiology of tree crops, and then to apply the nutrient as a foliar fertilizer to stimulate a specific metabolic process at phenological stages when nutrient demand is high. This approach has proven successful. A single winter prebloom foliar application of nitrogen as low-biuret urea [0.16 kg N/tree (0.35 lb N/tree)] to 30-year-old ‘Washington’ navel orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) trees during flower initiation significantly increased yield and fruit number per tree for each of 3 consecutive years (P ≤ 0.05). The number of commercially valuable large size fruit also increased significantly with yield increases (r² = 0.88).

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25 Mar 2021
Citrus and Avocado

Timing Citrus and Avocado Foliar Nutrient Applications to Increase Fruit Set and Size

The goal of this research was to identify the role essential nutrients play in the physiology of tree crops, and then to apply the nutrient as a foliar fertilizer to stimulate a specific metabolic process at phenological stages when nutrient demand is high. This approach has proven successful. A single winter prebloom foliar application of nitrogen as low-biuret urea [0.16 kg N/tree (0.35 lb N/tree)] to 30-year-old ‘Washington’ navel orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) trees during flower initiation significantly increased yield and fruit number per tree for each of 3 consecutive years (P ≤ 0.05).

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