Effect of nitrogen, phosphorus, and zinc fertilization on pecan yield in Argentina

FRUSSO, E.A.; INSAUSTI, P.; LAVADO, R.S.; CIPRIOTTI, P.A.; CAVO, F.M.

ACTA HORTICULTURAE

ISHS - International Society for Horticultural Science - Ed. G. Lemus

Lugar: Santiago; Año: 2021 vol. 1318 p. 215 - 220

0567-7572

Tests carried out decades ago in the USA showed a response in yield and/or growth of pecan by nitrogen (N) supply. An experiment was carried out in the Northeast of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina (34°59?02?S, 58°04?11?W), with 5-year-old trees at the beginning of the study to evaluate the response to fertilization. The trial included two periods, the first between 2005 and 2008 where the treatments were one unfertilized control (T) and three N-P-Zn fertilization treatments in kg ha-1: T1 with 13.2 of N, 5.2 of P and 5.4 of Zn; T2 with 29.7 of N, 10.5 of P and 10.8 of Zn, and T3 with 46.2 of N, 15.7 of P and 21.6 of Zn. The second period between 2012 and 2014, in which only the fertilization with N in kg ha-1 was evaluated, included a control (T); T1 with 46 of N; T2 with 55.2 of N; and T3 with 110.4 of N. At the end of the first period (2008), the fertilization had a positive effect on the growth rate in height and diameter of the tree and in the number of nuts tree-1. However, the dry weight of the involucre was not affected by the treatments, whereas the dry weight of the shell and the kernel were affected. In 2008, the highest yield showed the highest kernel dry weight, with the application of 46.2 kg of N ha-1, 15.7 of P and 21.6 kg of Zn ha-1 (T3). During the second period, fertilization also positively affected the diameter and height of the tree, while the yield in 2014 showed a positive response to fertilization for T3. In the evaluated periods, treatments positively affected the vegetative growth variables of the tree and the yield variables such as kernel dry weight.