See the recommendations from a UF/IFAS researcher on getting the “right rate” when it comes to citrus nutrition.
The Four Rs of nutrient use are the right time, right placement, right source, and the right rate. Achieving the “right rate” was the focus of a presentation given by Davie Kadyampakeni, a researcher with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the most recent virtual Citrus Expo. See the details from a Citrus Industry article below.
Importance of Getting the Right Rate
Kadyampakeni maintained that researchers “have concluded that good nutrient management is critical for promoting tree performance, including denser canopies, high yields and leaf area indices under HLB conditions.” Getting the “right rate” is important for getting optimal performance from citrus trees and for saving money.
In the article, Kadyampakeni maintained that “You can put … double the current recommendations but not exceeding four times.” However, there are downsides to using too many nutrients beyond wasting input dollars, such as plant toxicity.
“If growers would like to maintain high yields, it would be good to make sure that you are putting all nutrients at optimal levels. For micronutrients, you can give a bump to make sure that you get the right response in the trees to make sure you can have better root re-growth and better canopy,” Kadyampakeni said in the article.
Kadyampakeni recommends achieving balanced nutrition using “spoon feeding” techniques throughout the year, such as fertigation utilizing an irrigation system to deliver the needed nutrients and no more, rather than a one-size-fits-all fertilization schedule.
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