Evaluation of secondary macronutrients in mango (Mangifera indica L.) Orchard of various districts of Sindh
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Abstract
This study was carried out to evaluate the soil and leaf tissue status of mango orchards of Matiari, Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas districts of Sindh. In this regard, soil samples were analyzed for some physic-chemical properties (texture, ECe, pH1:5, calcium carbonate, organic matter, ammonium acetate extractable Ca, Mg and calcium chloride extractable S) at two soil depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm). The mango orchard soils of Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas were silty clay loams except Matiari soils which were clay loams. The average pH values at surface and sub-surface soils falling in medium category. Organic matter content of 0-15 cm soil was higher (1.32, 1.32, 1.15 and 1.25 %) compared to 15-30 cm soil (0.87, 0.79, 0.86 and 0.86 %) respectively. Calcium carbonate contents of the study area varied from slightly calcareous (0-13%) to moderately calcareous (13-26%). The ammonium acetate extractable Ca, Mg and calcium chloride extractable S contents were 3016, 2971; 1127, 1228; and 42, 47 mg kg-1 in Matiari, 2921, 2721; 1215, 1389 and 45, 66 mg kg-1 in Hyderabad, 2740, 2583; 1424, 1478 and 207, 263 mg kg-1 in Tando Allahyar and 2866, 2882; 1244, 1222 and 285, 482 mg kg-1 in Mirpurkhas at 0-15 and 15-30 cm soil depth respectively. Total Ca, Mg and S contents in mango leaf tissue were 2.51, 0.64 and 0.54% in Matiari, 2.48, 0.69 and 0.37% in Hyderabad, 2.51, 0.67 and 0.62% in Tando Allahyar and 2.51, 0.61 and 0.60% in Mirpurkhas respectively. It can be concluded from this study that the Ca and Mg contents in soil were adequate and sufficient, and high in leaf tissues respectively. Generally there was no problem regarding S contents in soil and leaf tissues, however, 33% leaf tissue samples were low in each Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas.
Keywords: Macronutrients; Physio-chemical properties; Mango