Zinc Status of Apple Orchards Across Apple Growing Regions of Balochistan

Pure Appl. Biol., 8(1): 920-930, March, 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2019.80034 Research Article Zinc status of apple orchards across apple growing regions of Balochistan Hidayatullah1*, Gul Muhammad Panezai2, Rehmatullah Kethran2, Syed Abdul Hadi Agha2, Nazeer Ahmed Alizai2 and Zainullah Khan3 1. Directorate of Agriculture Research Soil and Water Testing ARI Sariab Quetta-Pakistan 2. Directorate of Agriculture Research (Fruits) ARI Sariab Quetta-Pakistan 3. Directorate of Agriculture Research Grapes Pishin-Pakistan *Corresponding author’s email: [email protected] Citation Hidayatullah, Gul Muhammad Panezai, Rehmatullah Kethran, Syed Abdul Hadi Agha, Nazir Ahmed Alizai and Zainullah Khan. Zinc status of apple orchards across apple growing regions of Balochistan. Pure and Applied Biology. Vol. 8, Issue 1, pp920-930. http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2019.80034 Received: 06/12/2018 Revised: 04/03/2019 Accepted: 08/03/2019 Online First: 25/03/2019 Abstract All plant essential nutrients except Molybdenum are not easily available in alkaline calcareous soils. Among them, the deficiency of micronutrients particularly Zinc and iron is widespread in crops and fruit orchards. For this purpose, a survey study was carried out across five districts of Balochistan viz Kalat, Killa Abdullah, Pishin, Quetta and Ziarat during 2016 aiming to determine both soil and leaf Zn status of apple orchards. The 150 soil and leaf samples were collected and statistically divided them as 30 samples of each district in 3 groups of 10 samples and analysed through one way analysis of variance. The results showed that soil pH of apple orchards was in alkaline range and EC was almost normal with statistically at par differences. While, the AB-DTPA extractable Zn in soil of various apple orchards across five districts revealed that 5, 23 and 2 orchards in Kalat, 3, 24 and 3 in Killa Abdullah, 15 15 and 0.0 in Pishin and Ziarat while 20, 10 and 0.0 in Quetta expressed low, marginal and adequate Zn concentration. The leaf tissue analysis for Zn status indicated that 23.3% apple orchards in Kalat, 6.7% in Killa Abdullah, 33.3% in Pishin, 73.3% in Quetta and 56.7% in district Ziarat were found Zn deficient. Consequently, this study suggest that Zinc supplementation to soil of these orchards are needed while the addition of compost under such alkaline soil also necessary and is considered as one of the best management practices for apple orchards. Keywords: Apple orchards; Leaf Zn concentration; Locations; Soil Zn concentration Introduction disease of grapes, onion and peanuts. When In agriculture, the zinc (Zn) has been Zn was confirmed as an essential element recognized significantly one of the for growth of plants, now globally many important mineral elements. The role of Zn areas have been identified deficient in Zn as plant essential element and development level and have adverse impact on growth of its essentiality was realized slowly [1]. performance and yield of crops, vegetables The historical background of Zn indicate and fruits orchards. It has been reported that that during 1869 the student of Louis Zn status is found low in sandy and peat Pasteur viz Raulin first time described Zn soils [2]. In calcareous soil, the deficiency of requirement as nutrient for the prosper of micronutrients particularly Zn is prevalent fungi (Aspergillus niger) causing diseases in among all agriculturally important crops many agricultural crops like black mold since the unavailability of Zn in such soil is Published by Bolan Society for Pure and Applied Biology 920 Hidayatullah et al. due to its adsorption on clay and calcite, low integrity of cell membranes, pollen Zn in the parent material, alkaline nature development and auxin production. Other (high pH), high calcium carbonate contents, function of Zn in plants involved high or low soil organic matter. While Zn metabolism of nitrogen and its deficiency deficiency in calcareous soil is also due to results in low protein production with the dominancy of sodium (Na), calcium stunted plant growth [15, 16]. (Ca), magnesium (Mg), HCO3 and high Spatial variability in soil Zn status of phosphorus level in soil [3, 4]. Agriculture land has been noticed and has In Pakistan including the province of found to be ranged from 10 to 300 mg kg-1 Balochistan, the reasons of low soil Zn [17, 18]. While, in scientific reports the status in orchards is linked to calcareous and average soil Zn was noted about 50-55 mg alkaline nature of soil with low organic kg-1 [19]. Whereas, the world’s soil average matter and in some cases the light soil Zn contents was indicated as 64 mg kg-1 [20, texture is also responsible for Zn deficiency. 21]. The Zn deficiency has also been While, the high contents of calcite make Zn expressed in early growing seasons where unavailable by making calcium zincate temperature is low as well as in cool and wet which is insoluble [5]. In an approximation, soils that later on disappear when summer the out of total area of the world 30-40% comes. The reason of low soil Zn is due to area is deficient in Zn [6, 7] as in case of slow decomposition of organic matter by Pakistan, due to unavailability of nutrients soil microbes during cool season that works under calcareous soil the average yield of as a slow release of Zn for crop. Inversely, apple orchard is 3.9 t ha-1 [8] which is quite rise in soil temperature lead to enhance Zn low when compared to other neighboring availability by increasing diffusion rate and countries. According to Lindsay [9] that a accelerate organic matter mineralization rate unit increases in soil pH correspondingly [3]. In light of the importance of Zn in apple reduce the availability of Zn 100 times. The fruit production and its unavailability in scientific literature has manifested that most calcareous and alkaline soil, this study was of fruit trees are vulnerable to Zn deficiency initiated to determine the soil and leaf Zn and among deciduous fruit trees, apple are status of apple orchards in five districts of highly susceptible to Zn deficiency [10, 11]. Balochistan, Pakistan. Each nutrient plays a specific function in Materials and methods bio-physico-chemical process of all living A field study was conducted during 2016 to things. In case of Zn, its presence in evaluate the zinc status of apple orchards sufficiency range is crucial because Zn is belonging to five districts of Baluchistan essential nutrient required for the prosper viz. Kalat, Killa Abdullah, Pishin, Quetta growth performance of plants as it play role and Ziarat. The study consisted of two in bursting of fruit buds, fertilization and components, the first one involved the reproduction and also equally important for assessment of soil physico-chemical sound health of human beings and animals. properties such as pH, electrical While, in some regions of the world soil and conductivity (EC), ammonium bicarbonate- water contamination with Zn which reach to diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (AB- us through food chain [12-14]. Zinc main DTPA) extractable Zn. while the second function is catalytic in nature for different component comprised of leaf tissue analysis enzymes [15]. These enzymes are involved for determination of Zn in fruit bearing in different biochemical processes like apple orchards. carbohydrate metabolism, protein synthesis, 921 Pure Appl. Biol., 8(1): 920-930, March, 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2019.80034 Thirty fruit bearing apple orchards of same Statistical analysis age and variety (red delicious) were selected The collected data were subjected to one- from different locations in Kalat, Killa way analysis of variance and also used Abdullah, Pishin, Quetta and Ziarat district descriptive statistics for determination of of Baluchistan. Five trees were randomly minimum, maximum and mean values and selected from each orchard and composited percentage. All statistical analysis was for one sample. This way a total of 150 each computed on Statistix 8.1 software soil and plant samples were collected. (MathSoft Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA). Soil and leaf sampling and processing Results and discussion Fifteen to twenty recently matured leaves In Balochistan province, apple fruit were collected from the mid-portion of production occupies major position among branch, covering the tree periphery and deciduous fruits and is the main source of composited to one [22]. Soil samples from income of people in uplands of Balochistan. same trees were collected at the depth of 0- The main apple growing districts of 30 cm. In order to have a representative soil Balochistan are Kalat, Killah Abdullah, sample from each tree, four to six cores Killa Saifullah, Mastung, Pishin, Quetta, and were dug underneath the tree canopy and Ziarat. The contribution of Balochistan in composited to one. All the soil and leaf deciduous fruits is higher as compared to samples were properly labeled and delivered other provinces of Pakistan and now to the Soil and Water Testing Laboratory of Balochistan is called the “fruit basket” of Agriculture Research Institute (ARI), Pakistan. However, both yield and quality of Quetta. The soil samples were air dried, apple has declined to great extent which ground and sieved through 2 mm mesh. might be due to changes in environment, Whereas, the leaf samples were water scarcity and lack of adoption of best decontaminated and washed [23], oven dried management practices. Soils in Pakistan at 65C [24], ground to 20 mesh and stored including Balochistan is calcareous and in plastic bags for target analysis. alkaline in nature where nutrients Soil and leaf analysis availability to plants is one of the main The soil was analyzed for some physico- constraints in agriculture production along chemical properties by standard methods. with apple orchards enterprises.

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