Levels and time of potassium fertilization influence soil and leaf nutrient composition and its relation with yield of litchi

Abstract

The present experiment was undertaken to study the effect of different K levels and time of application on leaf and soil nutrient contents and its relation with yield in litchi cv. Bombai. Maximum yield of 91.84 kg tree-1 year-1 was recorded by application of 600 g K2O tree-1 year-1 in the two splits at 15 days after harvest and 15 days after fruit set. The maximum yield was obtained when the soil N content was 0.001645%, P- 0.00290%, K- 0.0086%, Ca- 0.2630%, Mg- 0.0565%, S- 0.0039%, B- 0.17 ppm, Cu- 3.25 ppm, Fe- 66.50 ppm, Mn- 63.55 ppm and Zn- 1.36 ppm in the month of February. These values may be used as critical soil nutrient standards at the time of panicle emergence (February) for optimum yield of litchi in the alluvial plains of West Bengal. The highest yield was also noted when the leaf nutrient content (at panicle emergence) was recorded as N = 1.61%, P = 0.16%, K = 0.81%, Ca = 0.69%, Mg = 0.32%, S = 0.13%, B = 13.00 ppm, Cu = 18.5 ppm, Fe = 284 ppm, Mn = 31.0 ppm and Zn = 42.0 ppm, showing a N: K ratio of 1: 0.50. These values may be used as critical leaf nutrient standards for litchi cv. Bombai.