Estimation of preliminary reference values for macro and micronutrients in ‘Valencia’ orange in Venezuela, by means of the compositional nutrient diagnosis system

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed at developing preliminary reference values for foliar tissue for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) for `Valencia´ orange in Venezuela, using the Compositional Nutrient Diagnosis system (CND). References values were derived from a database comprising the nutrients concentrations and the yields of `Valencia´ orange trees (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) grafted on two different rootstocks, viz., Volkamer lemon (Citrus volkameriana Pasq.), and Cleopatra tangerine (Citrus reshni, Hort. ex. Tan). Cutoff values separating high- and low-yield sub-samples were estimated through modeling the cumulative variance ratio function versus yield relationships with the Boltzmann equation. For macronutrients, the norms developed were dependent upon the inclusion of the micronutrients concentrations in the calculations, and on the rootstocks. Care must thus be exercised, since nutrient indexes, and thus nutritional diagnosis, are based upon proper selection of such values.

KEYWORDS:

• Boltzmann equation
• citrus reshni
• citrus sinensis
• citrus volkameriana
• diagnostic norms
• plant nutrition
• yield cutoff

Acknowledgments

This research was conducted as part of Project “Evaluation of the nutritional status of orange orchards” (Code UCLA-LOCTI-536-A6-2007).