BEST CITRUS PLANTING STRATEGIES: efficiency of phosphorus fertilization associated with zinc or bioinput applied to the soil

• Grant number: 23/17702-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Dirceu de Mattos Junior
• Grantee: Rafael Miranda de Lima Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto Agronômico (IAC). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Tropical soils exhibit low phosphorus (P) availability, and the application of phosphate fertilizers is essential to promote the growth and productivity of agricultural crops. Furthermore, it is necessary to increase the efficiency of use of these fertilizers, located in planting furrows, to stimulate the growth of the root system of perennial plants and contribute to increasing the efficiency of absorption of other nutrients and water use. Citrus requires special attention to P fertilization when establishing the orchard. Furthermore, zinc (Zn) is also required at this stage, given the low availability of the nutrient in the soil and the low efficiency of foliar application when plants are young and have limited leaf area. Considering P and Zn interactions in the root environment, the use of bioinputs that provide nutrients and promote the microbiological quality of the soil can be a factor in productivity gains in citrus farming. The potential use of these bioinputs also allows the use of agricultural and/or urban wastes that could contribute to savings in the use of mineral fertilizers and fostering environmental safety, requirements established in MAPA's national fertilizer plan. Therefore, it is proposed to study best fertilization management strategies, evaluating the use of P incorporated into the soil, with or without the addition of Zn or organic compounds (based on urban plant residues and sludge), compared to a control without fertilization. Two studies will be established, one in the field and the other under controlled rhizotron conditions, to evaluate the growth and biochemical characteristics and root system of citrus, and chemical attributes and biological quality of the soil. Advances in the characterization of the production environment, correlated with the use of (bio)inputs and plant responses, will contribute to the definition of soil quality indices and the development of multi-criteria decision analyzes to quantify and prioritize productive efficiency in the field.