Guidelines for fertilizer use in pomegranate orchards based on seasonal uptake and partitioning of nutrients

Abstract

Understanding nutrient dynamics within the pomegranate plant on a temporal scale is critical to the development of sound nutrient management practices. This study investigated the seasonal patterns of nutrient uptake and redistribution in whole pomegranate plant in a 4-years old drip irrigated pomegranate cv. Bhagwa orchard of growing on sandy clay soil. In 2015-16, six plants were excavated each time during pre-pruning phase, flowering, fruit enlargement, fruit development and harvesting. Biomass, nutrient concentration and total nutrient amount of all plant organs were determined. Seasonal dynamics of total amount of N, P and S nutrients in plant share a consistent pattern: translocation of nutrients from woody organs to actively growing organs at the beginning of the season and nutrient movement to woody organs at the fruit maturity, while most of the canopy demand for K was met out from the soil uptake. Plant had higher total amount of Ca than all other nutrients throughout the growing season indicating its natural affinity towards Ca. Majority of Ca accumulated in permanent structures of the plant. The uptake pattern of macronutrients followed the order of Ca > N>K > Mg > S > P. Most of the uptake of N, K, Ca, Mg and S from the soil occurred between pre-pruning and bloom of the crop whereas the highest P uptake took place from fruit development to fruit maturity. The demand for micronutrients particularly Fe, Mn and B was highest during fruit enlargement stage while that of Zn was during the fruit development stage.