Evaluation of major and micronutrient status of acid soils of different mango orchards. International Journal of fruit science

Abstract

The study involved distribution of nutrient elements in the acid soils of mango orchard. The objectives were to evaluate pH, organic carbon, available macro- and diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)-micronutrient content in the soil profile. Depth wise (0-30, 30-60, 60-90 and 90-120 cm) soil samples were collected from 27 different mango orchards comprising of three health levels (unhealthy, medium and healthy) and three age groups (1-3 years, 4-5 years and 6-7 years). The pH of the surface soil was low and gradually increased with increase in depth irrespective of health and age levels of orchard. The pH was higher under the healthy orchard of 4-5 years old (6.00 at surface layer) and recorded 30 % more compared to control (Unhealthy orchard of 1-3 years old). The organic carbon was highest of 6.3 and 6.2 g kg-1 in A3H3 (Healthy orchard of 6-7 years old) and A2H3 (Healthy orchard of 4-5 years old), respectively in the surface soil layer. The N content was higher under A1H3 (Healthy orchard of 1-3 years old), A2H3 and A3H3 (142.2, 138 and 138 kg ha-1, respectively in surface layer); whereas P and K were higher under A2H3 and A3H3 orchard (12 and 380.5 kg ha-1, respectively in surface layer) than other orchards. The DTPA-extractable Fe and Mn contents were high status throughout the soil profile; whereas DTPA-extractable Zn and Cu were higher under A2H3 orchard (0.48 and 1.39 mg kg-1, respectively in surface layer).