Evaluation of Removed and Recycled Mineral Nutrients in Italian Commercial Persimmon Orchards

Abstract

Persimmon is a typical fruit crop of the Mediterranean region and, since it is considered a minor species, little information is available on its nutrients need. In the present experiment, it was estimated the quantity of removed and recycled nutrients by Kaki Tipo and Rojo Brillante, the two main varieties of persimmon grown in Emilia-Romagna region (Po Valley, Italy). Plants from ten mature orchards were selected and harvested; organs (leaves in summer, fruits at harvest, abscissed leaves, roots and skeleton) biomass and mineral composition were determined. The yearly uptake of macronutrients was similar for the 2 varieties, accounting for (kg ha−1): N 89-91, P 10-11, K 79-91, Ca 132-162, Mg 22-26 and S 9. While K was mostly found in fruits, Ca and Mg were mainly partitioned to leaves. Among micronutrients, Mn and Fe showed the highest values (1.1–1.3 and 1.2–2.1 kg ha−1, respectively), followed by B (370 g ha−1), while Cu and Zn showed the smallest amounts (less 100 g ha−1). Nitrogen, Ca, Mg and S were those more recycled than removed, while K showed an opposite trend; among the microelements, the annual recycled fractions of B and Mn were higher than that removed.