Mineral Characterization, fruit and leaf physiology of Citrus reticulata comparative to citrus canker stress in Sargodha, Punjab

Abstract

Pakistan's economy greatly benefits from citrus production since these fruits are sold and consumed all over the world. Nevertheless, there are difficulties associated with cultivating citrus fruits, such as illnesses brought on by bacteria, viruses, and fungus. The quantity and quality of fruit that is produced might be negatively impacted by these challenges as well as difficulties obtaining the proper nutrients. One tough problem is citrus canker, which is caused by a harmful germ called Xanthomonas axonopodis. This germ affects many types of citrus fruits all over the world. This study looked closely at how citrus canker affects the leaves and the quality of the fruit in places like Sargodha, Bhalwal, Kotmomin, and Silanwali, which are big areas for growing citrus in the Sargodha district. What we found was that plants without the disease had more chlorophyll in their leaves compared to the sick plants. Also, the healthy plants had better amounts of important minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus in their fruits. But the fruits with the disease had too much sodium, and the iron levels were a bit different. The fruits with the disease also didn't have as much of something that protects them called antioxidants, which made them more likely to get sick. This study helps us understand how citrus canker affects plants and fruit, so we can think of ways to deal with it.