Nutritional status of apple orchards in Kinnaur region of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The nutritional survey of 82 representative orchards was carried out in apple growing blocks of district Kinnaur of Himachal Pradesh. Maximum variation in leaf N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents was recorded in apple orchards of Nichar block. Deficiencies of N, Mg, Zn, B, Mn and Mo were quite common in the orchards of all the three blocks, but Ca and K were deficient in Nichar and Pooh blocks only. However, the deficiency of P was recorded in Kalpa and Pooh blocks only. Leaf analysis showed that 7.3, 7.3, 12.2, 13.4, 25.8, 31.7, 14.6 and 9.7% orchards were deficient in N, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, B, Mo and Mn, respectively. The soils of apple orchards were moderately acidic to slightly alkaline in soil reaction with normal electrical conductivity and rich in organic carbon. Variability in pH, EC, organic carbon (%), N, P, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu and Mo contents was also observed the highest in the soils of apple orchards located in Nichar block, while K, Fe, Mn and B were found highly variable in orchards of Pooh block only. All the leaf and soil nutrients showed synergetic effect on fruit yield except Cu and Fe.