Nutrimental diagnosis of avocado (<i>Persea americana</i> Mill.) “Haas”, soil fertility and water quality in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Abstract

In two contrasting agricultural ecohabitats (agr ohabitats) in the avocado production area in the municipality of Cuernavaca, Morelos, an analysis of nutrimental status, soil fertility and water quality was conducted to measure soil fertility levels and to determine the nutrimental state of the trees. The “Hass” variety avocado groves studied had an average age of 8 years; the first grove was planted in an acrisol soil (1700 to 1900 meters above mean sea level [mamsl]); the second, in an andosol soil (1200 to 1700 mamsl). In each agrohabitat, tests were performed to determine the soil’s physical and c hemical characteristics. The physical and che mical characteristics of the soils of this zone differ as do the nutrimental states of the avocado trees in the two agrohabitats. The trees showed excessive concentration of Ca, Fe, S, Z and Mg. The indices of Deviation from Optimal Percentage (DOP) in the two agrohabi tats show ed different nutrimental requirements; nevertheless, they were low and very near to zero, 14.218 and 13.350 respectively. The water used for the agricultural irrigation was low in salinity and sodium content and thus may be used for the agricultural irrigation without restriction s.