Explore key principles of mango fertilization in horticulture, including nutrient roles, application timing, and common deficiencies. Enhance your understanding of best practices for healthy mango orchards.
Which stage is generally considered best for the main fertilizer application in mango trees to support flowering and fruit set?
Explanation: Applying fertilizer just before flowering helps supply essential nutrients, supporting bloom and fruit set. During fruit harvest, trees need fewer nutrients. Late rainy season might cause nutrient leaching, and after leaf drop trees are usually dormant and less responsive to fertilization.
Which macronutrient is most important for vegetative growth in mango, promoting healthy leaf and shoot development?
Explanation: Nitrogen is key for vegetative growth, stimulating lush leaf and shoot production. Potassium aids fruit quality but less so for foliage. Calcium and sulfur are essential nutrients but play smaller roles in direct leaf expansion compared to nitrogen.
Yellowing of young mango leaves with green veins is commonly due to a deficiency of which nutrient?
Explanation: Iron deficiency causes interveinal chlorosis (yellow leaves with green veins), especially in young growth. Phosphorus deficiency rarely shows as chlorosis. Magnesium chlorosis affects older leaves, while zinc deficiency causes small and distorted leaves rather than prominent yellowing.
For mature mango trees, what is the most effective placement method to ensure nutrients are absorbed efficiently?
Explanation: Broadcasting fertilizer in the drip zone targets the feeder roots, maximizing nutrient uptake. Placing fertilizer by the trunk misses many active roots. Sprinkling on leaves is not suitable for granular fertilizers, and outside the fence is ineffective.
What is a likely consequence of excessive nitrogen fertilization in mango orchards?
Explanation: Too much nitrogen encourages vegetative growth at the expense of flowering, potentially reducing fruit yield. It does not directly make fruit sweeter or accelerate ripening. While foliage growth might increase leaf disease risk, delayed flowering is a more direct and typical outcome.