ABSTRACT
NUTRITIONAL SURVEY OFCITR US TREES IN THE PROVINCES OF SANTIAGO, O'|HIGGINS AND COLCHAGUA, CHILE

Demetrio Benito D.1 y Rafael Ruiz S.1
 

A nutritional survey of 32 citrus orehards was made in the Santiago, O'Higgins and Colchagua provinces. Leaf samples were collected on February 1971. Leaves of 4 to 7 months old wene sampled from the nonfruiting spring flush growth. Chemical analyses for: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, Cu, Fe and Na were performed.
Soil was also sampled at D-25 cm depth under the tree canopy. Mineral N levels were usually low, and phosphorous (extracted with NaHCO3) leveIs were low to medium. Medium values were found for exchangeable K. pH ranged from neutral to slightly alkaline and conductivity was considered adequate. Organic matter was found to range from low to medium and texture predominantIy clay.
Defieient levels of N, K,Mn and Zn were found on the leaf samples analysed. The Ca level was found high. No excess of sodium was detected in the leaves.

Keywords:
1Ings. Agrs., Ministerio de Agricultura, Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG). Div. Sanidad Vegetal, Casilla 4647 - Correo 2, Santiago, Chile.