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. 2016 Oct 20;11(10):e0161619.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161619. eCollection 2016.

Liquid Organic Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture: Nutrient Uptake of Organic versus Mineral Fertilizers in Citrus Trees

Belén Martínez-Alcántara  1 , Mary-Rus Martínez-Cuenca  1 , Almudena Bermejo  1 , Francisco Legaz  1 , Ana Quiñones  1
Affiliations

Liquid Organic Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture: Nutrient Uptake of Organic versus Mineral Fertilizers in Citrus Trees

Belén Martínez-Alcántara et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to compare the performance of two liquid organic fertilizers, an animal and a plant-based fertilizer, with mineral fertilization on citrus trees. The source of the fertilizer (mineral or organic) had significant effect in the nutritional status of the organic and conventionally managed mandarins. Nutrient uptake, vegetative growth, carbohydrate synthesis and soil characteristics were analyzed. Results showed that plants fertilized with animal based liquid fertilizers exhibited higher total biomass with a more profuse development of new developing organs (leaves and fibrous roots). Liquid organic fertilization resulted in an increased uptake of macro and micronutrients compared to mineral fertilized trees. Moreover, organic fertilization positively affected the carbohydrate content (fructose, glucose and sucrose) mainly in summer flush leaves. Liquid organic fertilization also resulted in an increase of soil organic matter content. Animal-based fertilizer, due to intrinsic composition, increased total tree biomass and carbohydrate leaves content, and led to lower soil nitrate concentration and higher P and Mg exchangeable in soil extract compared to vegetal-based fertilizer. Therefore, liquid organic fertilizers could be used as an alternative to traditional mineral fertilization in drip irrigated citrus trees.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Distribution of dry biomass (g DW plant-1) among the main organs of Nules clementine trees harvested in December (at dormancy) receiving vegetal (VO) or animal-based (AO) organic fertilizer and their respective mineral controls (VMC and AMC, vegetal and animal mineral controls, respectively)*.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Nitrogen concentration (a) in new flush leaves (NFL) and total content in whole tree (b) of Nules clementine trees harvested in December (at dormancy) receiving vegetal (VO) or animal-derived (AO) organic fertilizer and their respective mineral controls (VMC and AMC, vegetal and animal mineral controls, respectively)*.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Nitrogen derived from fertilizer (Ndff, %) in (a) new flush leaves (NFL) and (b) whole tree of Nules clementine trees harvested in December (at dormancy) receiving vegetal (VO) or animal-derived (AO) liquid organic fertilizer and their respective mineral controls (VMC and AMC, vegetal and animal mineral controls, respectively)*.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Macronutrient concentration (% DW) in new flush leaves (a) and total content (g) in whole tree (b) of Nules clementine trees harvested in December (at dormancy) receiving vegetal (VO) or animal-derived (AO) organic fertilizer and their respective mineral controls (VMC and AMC, vegetal and animal mineral controls, respectively)*. *, †See Fig 1.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Micronutrient concentration (% DW) in new flush leaves (a) and total content (g) in whole tree (b) of Nules clementine trees harvested in December (at dormancy) receiving vegetal (VO) or animal-derived (AO) organic fertilizer and their respective mineral controls (VMC and AMC, vegetal and animal mineral controls, respectively)*. *, †See Fig 1.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Carbon fixation in whole tree of Nules clementine trees receiving vegetal (VO) or animal-based (AO) organic fertilizer and their respective mineral controls harvested in December (at dormancy).
Each value is an average of five plants ± standard error. †, ‡See Fig 1.
Fig 7
Fig 7. Nitrogen concentration in different N fractions in soils receiving vegetal (VO) or animal-based (AO) organic fertilizer and their respective mineral controls (VMC and AMC, vegetal and animal mineral controls, respectively)*. *, †, ‡See Fig 1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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