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Nitrogen Balance in a Citrus Orchard¹

ABSTRACT

Differential fertilizer and irrigation applications were utilized to assess the N balance over a period of 4 yr in a typical mature ‘Shamouti’ orange (Citrus sinensis L.) grove located in the coastal plain of Israel. Nitrogen inputs in fertilizer and irrigation water were 100, 180, and 310 kg ha^–1 annually for the three main treatments. The N removed by the crop was measured by yield and N content determinations in the fruits; the leached N was measured by sampling below the root zone. It was found that the amount of leached N was similar in the low and medium N applications (< 50 kg N ha^–1). At the high N application, > 50 kg N ha^–1 was leached and large amounts of N were unaccounted for (approximately 100 kg N ha^–1). Analysis of published data on N losses from citrus orchards showed similar large amounts of N not found in the fruit or in the soil mineral N pool after large N applications. The possible pathways for these N losses were discussed. It was concluded that this excess N was either incorporated in the soil organic matter or stored in the tree rather than being denitrified.

Key Words: citrus nitrogen requirement • groundwater pollution • irrigation water quality • nitrate leaching • nitrogen losses

¹ Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet-Dagan 50-250, Israel, no. 712E, 1983 series.

² Soil Scientist, Inst. of Soils & Water; Plant Physiologist, Dep. of Citriculture; and Soil Scientist, Inst. of Soils & Water, respectively.

Received for publication March 29, 1983.