Nutrient Management Strategies for Guangdong

IPNI-2002-CHN-GD13

11 Jan 2004

2003 Annual Interpretive Summary

Nutrient Management Strategies for Guangdong, 2003

This study was initiated in 2002 at Sanshui City and Zhongshan City to track soil nutrient variability between and within fields and to develop site-specific soil fertility management zones. Soil nutrient limitations were determined as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S) through soil analyses and digital maps of these deficiencies were developed. Banana and litchi field trials were established in 2003 in order to verify the limitations predicted by soil testing.

Banana: In the first harvest, balanced fertilization (BF) with 1,056-407-1,796 kg N-P2O5-K2O plus 291 kg S/ha significantly increased yield by 8.6 t/ha (19%) and improved farmers’ net income by US$1,530 (42%), compared to farmer practice (FP) of applying 1,028-566-732 kg/ha plus 291 kg peanut meal/ha. In the second harvest, the BF treatment of 1,193-359-1,193 kg/ha plus 69 kg Mg/ha and 102 kg S/ha increased yield by 15.2 t/ha (28%) and farmers’ net income by US$4,236 (51%), compared with the FP which supplied 1,528-903-1,668 kg/ha.

Litchi: The BF treatment of 210-161-253 kg/ha plus 25 kg Mg/ha significantly increased yield by 1,023 kg/ha (55%) and farmers’ net income by US$1,705 (74%), compared to FP supplying 242-184-222 kg/ha.

These improved practices are helping the local government develop a strong commercial banana and litchi base. Guangdong’s banana and litchi area provides large P and K market opportunities. Guangdong-NMS02