Resistance of citrus orchards depends on nutritional balance

Citrus orchards are constantly subjected to stressful factors (climate, temperature, nutritional deficiencies, pests and diseases) that impact the development of the crop and can result in loss of leaf area and even a reduction in productivity and quality of its fruits. . To minimize these effects, the citrus grower must pay attention to handling precautions to promote the plant's natural defense mechanisms.

In the municipality of Aguaí (SP), producer Dorival Fortes says that, at certain times of the year, a lack of water affects the region, which can shorten the useful life of the orchard. "With stress, the crop becomes more affected. If the plant is strong and if it is well nourished and well cared for, the chance of producing more fruit per plant, with better sizes, is greater", he says.

According to agronomist Marcos Revoredo, technical manager specializing in fruit and vegetables at Alltech Crop Science, it is possible to help induce this resistance in citrus plants naturally. "The solutions nourish the plant in a way that helps defense mechanisms, and at the same time are composed of amino acids and key nutrients, such as copper and zinc, which complement the plant's nutrition to promote this physiological balance," he explains.

To overcome stressful factors, the specialist also highlights management in the citrus reproductive phase, which helps to increase the number of fruits and standardize their sizes. "The application of amino acids, nutrients and plant extracts, via foliar, will promote a better hormonal balance of the vegetable. Consequently, the crop will be more balanced and less stressed by environmental factors, thus promoting better citrus development", he adds .

On the Fortes property, this treatment began to be used in the 2015/16 harvest, and the results were positive, according to the producer. "I noticed better quality and quantity. The fruits were great, leaving nothing to be desired. The solutions helped us increase, on average, 60 kg per plant. The orange grew in market size, with perfect standardization", he concludes.