Authors : Faycal Boughalleb, Mahmoud Mhamdi and Hichem Hajlaoui
Abstract: Experiments were conducted with lemon (Citrus limon v. Eureka) and orange trees (Citrus sinensis cv. Maltese) to determine the optimum NPK fertilizer rates for young citrus trees in greenhouse and field conditions. Greenhouse nursery trees received 0-0-0, 0-25-50, 25-25-50, 50-25-50 or 100-25-50 mg L-1 of N-P2O5-K2O via drip irrigation. The results showed that increased N rates improved leaf number, shoot length, total leaf area and stem diameter. The optimum tree growth was occurred with 50 and 100 mg N L-1. Results also showed that the percentages of N in the leaves were increased in proportion to the amount of N added while the percentage of P and K were decreased. However, the concentrations of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and Zn were unaffected by N rates but the leaf Cu concentration increased significantly. Leaf Mg concentration was increased by the presence of K in the nutrition solution. Form this study, we recommended the use of 100 N-25 P2O5-50 K2O mg L-1 for the good growth of nursery citrus plants in the absence of any possibility of deficiency or excessive accumulation of mineral elements. In the second experiment, two fertilizers mix 180-90-180 and 360-90-180 of N-P2O5-K2O kg ha-1 were applied to young citrus tree in field condition. Increased the level of N had no effect on leaf number and stem diameter in Eureka lemon however shoot length and total leaf area were slightly increased and these increment in growth was higher in Maltese orange.
Faycal Boughalleb, Mahmoud Mhamdi and Hichem Hajlaoui, 2011. Response of Young Citrus Trees to NPK Fertilization Under Greenhouse and Field Conditions. Agricultural Journal, 6: 66-73.