Abstract

Author:
Shristi Tiwari, Dikshya Subedi, Sapana Acharya, Surekha Panthi

Doi: 10.26480/trab.02.2024.73.81

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

A study was conducted in Sindhuli district to assess the fertility status of different aged sweet orange orchards and their effect upon soil nutrients. Seven different aged sweet orange orchards viz. 1-5 year, 6-10 years, 11-15 years, 16-20 years, 21-25 years, 26-30 years and 30 and above years were taken as treatments and replicated three times in Randomized Complete Block Design. Composite samples were collected in each study site from 45 cm soil depth from each plot. There was significant effect (p<0.001) of stand age on soil organic matter, phosphorus and potassium content, whereas significant effect (p<0.05) on soil pH and (p<0.01) on total nitrogen content. Soil pH was found to be decreasing with orchard age with maximum pH observed in 1-5 years orchard (6.87) and minimum in thirty and above years orchard (5.87). Organic matter and nitrogen were found to be increasing with increasing orchard age. Maximum SOM and nitrogen content were found in 26–30-year orchards with values of (5.99) and (0.28) respectively and minimum in 1-5 years orchards with values of (1.91) and (0.09) respectively. Phosphorus was found maximum in 5-10-year orchards (53.00) and minimum in above 30 years old (17.00). Likewise, maximum available potassium was observed in 6-10 ten-year-old orchards (464.33) and minimum in 1-5 years old group (259.00). And it was revealed that nitrogen (90.47%) is the most limiting nutrient for sweet orange production in each treatment and overall sampled soil.