ISHS Acta Horticulturae 448: III International Symposium on Mineral Nutrition of Deciduous Fruit Trees
EFFECTS OF DIFFERENTIAL NITROGEN APPLICATION ON NUTRITION, GROWTH, YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY IN YOUNG LEMON TREES |
| Authors: | F. Intrigliolo, S. Intelisano |
| Keywords: | Citrus, mineral nutrients, curvilinear regression, agronomic parameters |
| Abstract:
The aim of this study was to contribute to the definition of the nutritional requirements and to the evaluation of growth, yield and fruit quality in young lemon trees. 125 young lemon trees cv. “Femminello siracusano” on sour orange rootstock were grown in 300 litre plastic containers. A simple randomized design was used to test 5 treatments receiving different rates of nitrogen (N) fertilizer (N0 = 0, N1 = 60, N2 = 80, N3 = 160, N4 = 240 gN/tree annually) split applied from April to September. Each treatment had 25 replicates. Nutritional status, growth, yield and fruit quality in all plants were monitored. Trees receiving in intermediate levels of N fertilizer gave the best nutritional and agronomic responses. Trees receiving no N fertilizer and those receiving highest application rate showed a deterioration in growth-yield parameters; in addition, leaf N level negatively affected P and K concentrations. Mn nutritional levels were positively influenced by increased N supply. In the experimental conditions of our trial, a leaf N content of 2.1 – 2.4 % would appear to be the range value outside which phenomena altering the balance between the various elements may initiate. This demonstrates that the optimum leaf nitrogen content for lemon is lower than that proposed for orange. | |
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