Effect of foliar and soil applications of zinc sulphate on zinc uptake, tree size, yield, and fruit quality of mango.
Lal Bahadur, Malhi C. S., Zora Singh
Author Affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141 004, Indian Punjab, India.
Journal of Plant Nutrition 21 : 589-600
Abstract : Zinc sulfate was applied as a foliar spray (0.25, 0.50, 1.0%) or to the soil (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 kg/tree) during the second week of October (during flower bud differentiation) to 26-year-old mango cv. Dusheri trees at Ludhiana. All the zinc sulfate treatments were effective in increasing the leaf Zn concentrations above recommended sufficiency levels (?20 mg/kg) whereas control trees maintained low leaf Zn concentrations (13.8-13.3 mg/kg). The uptake of foliar-applied Zn was more rapid than that of soil applied Zn. All the zinc sulfate treatments except the foliar application at 0.25% significantly increased Zn concentrations in the fruit pulp as compared with control trees. The percentage increase in the stem girth of trees was highest with the soil application of zinc sulfate at 0.5 kg/tree followed by foliar application of zinc sulfate at 1.0%. The percentage increase in the tree canopy volume was highest with the foliar application of zinc sulfate at 1.0% followed by soil application of zinc sulfate at 1.0 kg/tree. There was no significant increase in yield, fruit size and weight, pulp or stone weight with any zinc sulfate treatment. Total soluble solids (TSS) in the fruits was significantly higher (18.6%) when zinc sulfate was soil-applied at 0.5 kg/tree. Fruit acid and sugar contents were not significantly affected by the foliar or soil application of zinc sulfate.