Improvement in Orchard Nutrient Status and Productivity Through Integrated Nutrient Management in Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Under Medium-Density Planting

AbstractBalanced nutrient management is essential for sustaining productivity and soil health in perennial fruit crops. A two-year field study (2022-2024) was conducted to evaluate the effects of integrating soil and foliar micronutrient applications with reduced recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF) on vegetative growth, nutrient status, yield, fruit quality, and economic performance of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Dashehari under medium-density planting. Nine nutrient modules combining 25-100% RDF with soil- and foliar-applied Fe, Zn, B, Cu, and Ca were compared using ANOVA, PCA, and PLS-SEM. Integrated treatments significantly enhanced canopy height, spread, and volume, with the 75% RDF + two foliar micronutrient sprays producing the greatest vegetative growth. Yield attributes, fruit size, retention, and shelf life improved markedly under micronutrient-enriched treatments. The highest fruit yield and benefit-cost ratio was obtained with 75% RDF + two foliar sprays, outperforming the conventional 100% RDF. Soil pH and EC were moderated, and organic carbon improved slightly under integrated nutrient management. Soil and leaf macro- and micronutrient concentrations were consistently higher with combined soil-foliar approaches. PCA clustered high-performing nutrient modules with yield and canopy variables, while PLS-SEM identified plant nutrient status as the strongest predictor of fruit yield. Overall, integrating micronutrient supplementation with 75% RDF improved nutrient-use efficiency, productivity, and economic returns while reducing dependence on full-dose fertilizers. The study highlights 75% RDF + foliar micronutrient sprays as an effective and sustainable nutrient management strategy for enhancing yield and orchard performance in mango. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=134 SRC="FIGDIR/small/697138v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (46K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@227e25org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@87b769org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1a73b2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a1cf12_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG