Nitrogen uptake and macronutrients distribution in mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Keitt) trees

Abstract

We assessed the effects of N fertigation regime on nutrient uptake and distribution in leaves and fruit of mango cv. Keitt grown in a lysimeter for four years. We applied three treatments: N1 – no N fertilization (less than 2 mg/L in the tap water); N2 – 10 mg/L N; and N3 – 20 mg/L N. Deficient N conditions (N1) resulted in low vegetation and fruit yield, high fruit:leaf ratio, high photosynthetic activity, high leaf P and K concentrations, as well as high sugar content and low acidity in the fruit. Excess N concentration (N3) enhanced vegetative growth and reduced fruit yield and gas exchange. The calculated annual nitrogen uptake heavily depended on the nitrogen supply, being highest for the N2 treatment (196 g/tree) as compared with the N1 (25 g/tree) or N3 (185 g/tree) treatments. Fruits were a major N sink being 82% (in N1), 26% (in N2), and 5% (in N3) of the total annual N supplied. The N accumulation rate in the fruit of the N1 and N2 treatment were above the N quantities supplied via fertigation, suggesting that N reserve in the vegetative tissues supplied the fruit's high N demand. These findings highlight the link between mango's N requirements and fruit yield, as well as the risks of excessive N fertilization.