The present investigation was carried out to determine soil and leaf nutritional status of
some typical healthy and declined mandarin orchards of Amravati District (M.S) during
2016-19.Total twenty five representative surface and depth wise soil and leaf samples
from healthy and declined mandarin orchards were collected and analyzed various
nutrients in plant as well as leaf samples. The data analysis showed that total nitrogen
content in healthy and declined mandarin orchards from surface soils varied from 0.045 to
0.093 % and 0.015 to 0.37% respectively. The available nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium content of healthy orchards surface soils varied from 200.0 to 265.7 kg ha-1
,
22.0 to 35.3 kg ha-1
, 320.0 to 665.0 kg ha-1
and in declined orchards it varied from 130.4 to
203.5 kg ha-1
, 17.8 to 21.3 kg ha-1
, 360.0 to 744.4 kg ha-1
respectively. The exchangeable
calcium and magnesium together constitute more than 80% of exchange complex. The
exchangeable calcium, magnesium and sulphur content in healthy orchards surface soils
varied from 26.34 to 30.22 cmol (p+
) kg ha-1
, 11.71 to 16.92 cmol (p+
) kg ha-1
, 0.27 to 0.90
kg ha-1
and in declined orchards it varied from 29.00 to 31.98 cmol (p+
) kg ha-1
, 12.07 to
13.71 cmol (p+
) kg ha-1
, 0.36 to 0.69 kg ha-1
respectively. Micronutrients status of orange
orchards showed that available copper, zinc, iron and manganese in healthy orchards
surface soils varied from 2.20 to 5.60 ppm, 0.50 to 0.79 ppm, 4.50 to 6.29 ppm, 12.61 to
18.11 ppm and in declined orchards it varied from 1.90 to 2.48 ppm, 0.35 to 0.46 ppm,
3.40 to 5.00 ppm, 8.10 to 12.24 ppm respectively. Findings revealed that total nitrogen,
available nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, zinc and manganese content found more
supporting in healthy orchards than declined ones. Depth wise distribution showed that
total nitrogen, available nitrogen, phosphorus and copper showed decreasing trend with the
soil depth.
The leaf nutrient content in the plant showed that nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
content in leaf of healthy orchards varied from 2.35 to 2.55%, 0.14 to 0.17%, 0.82 to
1.00% and in declined orchards it varied from 1.75 to 2.00%, 0.10 to 0.13%, and 0.84 to
1.70% respectively. Calcium, magnesium and sulphur content in healthy orchards varied
from 3.00 to 3.90%, 0.60 to 0.74%, 0.21 to 0.19% and in declined orchards it ranged from
2.40 to 3.15%, 0.33 to 0.74%, and 0.19 to 0.23% respectively. Results pertaining to
micronutrient showed that iron; manganese, copper and zinc in healthy orchards varied
from 105.6 to 140.6 ppm, 21.72 to 34.62 ppm, 29.40 to 35.96 ppm, 30.45 to 39.18 ppm,
and in declined orchards it varied from 70.66 to 100.00 ppm, 20.38 to 27.67 ppm, 21.72 to
26.05 ppm, and 17.24 to 25.00 ppm respectively. Results showed that a healthy orchard
has significantly higher content of nutrient than declined orchards except potassium
content
SPLOTCH, A PHYSIOLOGICAL LEAF DISEASE OF WHEAT: I. NUTRITIONAL STUDIES