Distribution of nutrients and their indexing in major mango-supporting soils of different agro-climatic zones of Karnataka and its impact on yield

Abstract: Knowledge of the spatial distribution of soil nutrients is essential for site-specific nutrient management, which forms an effective strategy in precision agriculture. As mango is one of southern Karnataka’s most important horticultural crops, the present study was conducted on 108 mango orchards under different agro-climatic zones to assess spatial nutrient variability for nutrient management. The soils of the study areas were acidic and non-saline. Nitrogen (N) deficiency was found in 84.26 percent area, whereas phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents were medium in most soils. Sulphur was sufficient, and calcium and magnesium contents varied with agro-climatic zones. The micronutrient (Zn, Fe, Mn) status was sufficient, except for copper and boron. The nutrient index for nitrogen was low, while phosphorus and potassium were low to medium. It is inferred that agro-management should include proper nitrogen fertilization, FYM, and boron throughout the growing cycle for better yield and quality.