Influence of nitrogen and calcium fertilisation on productivity and fruit quality of the mango cv. Sensation.
Torres M. D., Farré J. M., Hermoso J. M.
Author Affiliation: C.I.F.A. de Málaga, Churriana, Málaga, 29140, Spain.
: 395-401
Abstract : Mature mango trees grown with or without nitrogen (as ammonium nitrate) and calcium (as gypsum) were studied during 1996-2001 in Málaga, Spain. The soil, a decomposed shale, had a slightly basic pH and was well-drained and rich in Ca. The water had low electrical conductivity, and was high in Ca and Mg bicarbonates. The fertilizers were applied through drip irrigation method, approximately 23 mg N/litre or 117 mg Ca/litre. The control trees received 1.1 mg N/litre and 40 mg Ca/litre. The Ca front in the soil decreased ~17 cm/year. N application markedly increased its concentration in the subsoil. Potential tree efficiency including fruits fallen along the picking period, per unit tree volume, mean fruit weight, and percentage of red epidermis were similar for the 3 treatments. The percentage of fruits fallen during the picking period was much higher for the N-treated trees. Only on these trees internal breakdown and stem end cavity increased markedly with mean fruit weight. Trees not supplied with N kept its content in leaf and mesocarp stable along the years. In N-treated trees it progressively increased. Something similar happened with Ca, but more erratically.