Tissue Test Based Nutrients Management Crops Production

Grape and pomegranate are two major fruit crops growing in the Ahmednagar district. Nutrients management is an important aspect in the cash crops especially grape and pomegranate for export quality production. Though the farmers are using the conventional fertilizers in sufficient quantity but standing crops shows the deficiencies of the nutrients and facing the problems like flower and fruit droppings, yellowing of leaves, cane maturity problem in grapes, fruit quality and size. The diagnosis of nutrients deficiency in the standing crops is necessary for the optimization of nutrients in the crop. Normally the farmers are using conventional fertilizers and the availability and uptake of nutrients is the major problem due to the soil properties.

Plant tissue analysis at the critical stage of the standing crop can easily diagnose the deficiency of particular nutrient and the nutrients level in the plant can be optimized accordingly. Taking one step ahead KVK started the leaf/petiole testing facilities first time in the district in the year 1998 for nutritional management, especially in the cash crops. With the help of this technology, it is possible to rectify the deficiency of particular nutrients in the standing crop and solve the production problem.

Tissue test based nutrients management technique applicable to all the crop but as per the data we have that the farmers especially the grape and pomegranate are more convince about new technique of tissue based nutrients management than the other crops (Table no.1). It may be because of quality play an important role in high value crops especially the export-oriented production. Thus the grape and pomegranate cultivators adopted it and efficiently managing the balance nutrients management.

Table1: Crop wise samples analyzed in the laboratory (period 2001-2006)

Initially we have only the major nutrients facilities (N,P,K) but as the farmers demand the secondary nutrients( Ca.Mg,S)and micronutrients(Fe,Zn,Cu,Mn) testing services are made available to the farmers from last two years. We maintain all the tissue analysis data crop wise and year wise. The nutrient contents in the grape and pomegranate are classified in the various categories and percent of sample in the particular categories was calculated for period of last five year. The crop wise data is given in the fallowing tables and we noted the some important observations in related to the nutrients status petiole/leaf.

 Grape: In grapes farmers generally gave important to the October pruning than the April thus the more numbers of farmers prefer the petiole testing during October pruning and less at April pruning.

Major nutrients:- As per the April pruning data (Table 2), it was commonly fond that the N level was high, while the P and K was low in most of the samples. According to data 65 per cent sample in high nitrogen category, 62 per cent sample in low P category and 78 per sample in low K category .It may be because of most of the farmers using FYM, DAP in small quantity and less or no potassic fertilizers. So the farmers are facing the problem of cane maturity, fruit bud development and nutrients deficiency symptoms on the leaves especially P and K. Petiole testing at 45 days after the April pruning can detect early the nutrients status of the plant and optimize it level in time.

            In the stage of October pruning according the data 52 per cent sample reported high nitrogen category, 36 per cent in optimum and only 12 per cent in low category. The phosphorus reported 48 per cent in low category, 38 per cent in optimum and 14 per cent in high category. The potassium reported 44 per cent sample in low category, 36 per cent in optimum and 20 per cent in high category. During October pruning the rainfall and cloudy weather enhance the nitrogen availability and less utilization in metabolic activities has adversely affected the crop growth. Though the farmers are using phosphates fertilizers but lime and soil pH affect the availability and deficiency noted in the crop. Thus the farmers faced the problems in flowering, setting, beery size and TSS. The petiole analysis 45 days after pruning can detect the nutrients status in vineyard and optimize it in time to avoid these problems.

Secondary and micronutrients:- As per data(Table 2) for last two years also reported the general status of these nutrients in the grape vine. April pruning reported 28 per cent sample deficient in magnesium and 12 per cent in calcium and 38 per cent and 16 per cent sample deficient at October pruning respectively. In micronutrients generally Ferrous, Zinc and Manganese reported in deficient category. April pruning 42 per cent sample reported Fe, 38 per cent Zn and 4 per cent Mn in deficient category and 58 per cent, 47 per cent and 7 per cent during October pruning respectively.

Table2: Classification of nutrient’s composition in grape petiole (Percent of total samples analyzed)

Pomegranate: In pomegranate leaf testing is carried out at the stage of setting (Two from the first irrigation after bahar treatment). The leaf nutrient classification mentioned in the table5.

Major nutrients:- As per data(Table.3)  it was observed that commonly the N level was high, while the P was low and K was low to medium in most of the samples. Out of the total samples received 52 per cent sample has high nitrogen category, 64 per cent sample in low P category and 46 per sample in low K category. It may be because of most of the farmers using nitrogenous fertilizers and less or no potassic fertilizers at the time of bahar treatment, though the farmers are using the phosphates fertilizers less availability and uptake due to the soil properties like high lime/or pH. So the farmers are facing the problem of flower dropping, poor setting and fruit development. Leaf testing can detect early the nutrients status of the plant and rescheduling accordingly optimize nutrients level in time.

Secondary and micronutrients:- Secondary nutrients status fond that about 36 per cent sample reported deficient in magnesium and 22 per cent in calcium. In micronutrients generally Ferrous and Zinc only found deficient in the pomegranate leaves .As per data 26 per cent sample has Fe and 34 per cent Zn deficiency

Table3: Classification of nutrient’s composition in pomegranate leaves (Percent of total samples analyzed)

Recommendations :Initially we recommend the conventional fertilizers for optimizing the nutrients level in the crops. By considering the fixation problem of conventional fertilizers and more time requirement for the uptake, KVK introduced fertigation of soluble fertilizers through drip. With the help of innovative farmers, we have standardized the fertigation schedule of grape and pomegranate crops. Fertigation has now become a common practice among the grape and pomegranate cultivators.

We introduced the foliar feeding of nutrients for immediate rectification of the problem along with the fertigation through the drip at a critical growth stage. This gave tremendous results and solved the problem immediately in cash crops. Tissue test analysis along with foliar feeding and fertigation through drip become the common practice and KVK became the Ideal Center of the commercial farmers to solve their problems.

 The farmers especially grape and pomegranate growers from the seven Tehsils of the Ahmednagar district and the three intensive grape growing tehsils of Nasik district are benefited. The farmers from these areas adopted the plant tissues based nutrients management package and producing the export quality fruits. Annually 150-200 farmers are analyzing plant tissue testing benefiting about 140-150 ha area.  Similarly nearly 1000-1200 farmers are approaching KVK to get the inputs and supply for nutrients management from Ahmednagar and Nashik district. Besides this the private entrepreneurs and indirect beneficiaries are spreading the technology.