Evaluating sustainability of yield and fruit quality of sweet oranges with use of controlled release fertilizer and micronutrients

Evaluating sustainability of yield and fruit quality of sweet oranges with use of controlled release fertilizer and micronutrients

Report Date: 10/04/2021
Project: 18-061C   Year: 2021
Category: Horticultural & Management
Author: Tript Vashisth
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation

This project is an continuation of an objective of existing CRDF funded project (# 00124558 ; ended in March 2019, final report submited to CRDF) with some added treatments to be evaluated in comparison to control (dry conventional fertilizer with foliar micronutrients).  Altogether currently there are 25 treatments of citrus nutrition that are being compared to control. Within this quarter we have applied second round of fertilizer. Within this quater the we successfully collected data on tree health, leaf and soil nutrition. We continue to analyze the data.Altogether, Mn and B treatment is still the best performing treatment across all the treatments in Fort Meade. Where treatment with CRF and tiger micronutrients (6-6-3-1) is consitent good performer at both the sites. Our data so far suggests that use CRF and soil applied micronutirents with slightly acidic pH is beneficial for the trees.   In spring 2020 we saw a signifcant decrease in soil pH with extended use of Tiger micronutirents and therefore we stopped the use of Tiger product and applied non-sulphur micronutrients to the soil. The withdrawal of Tiger micronutirens for about 1.5 years has helped in bringing to soil pH to optimal ranges (5.8-6.5). No deleterious effects are observed on trees with discontinuation in use of tiger micronutirents. This suggests that the tiger micronutirent application can be altered with non-sulphur prill micronutrients to balance soil pH. We continue to closely monitor the soil pH and tree growth patterns. We are plan to apply fertilizer in first week of october and final harvest will be in Aril 2022. 


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