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Acta Horticulturae Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 53 ›› Issue (3): 749-762.doi: 10.16420/j.issn.0513-353x.2025-0929

• Cultivation·Physiology & Biochemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Characteristics of Spring Shoot Phenotype and Mineral Nutrient Contents of Newhall Navel Orange in Different Production Areas

LIU Wenhuan, MA Yanyan, ZHENG Yongqiang*()   

  1. National Digital Planting(Citrus)Innovation Sub-Center,National Engineering Research Center for Citrus Technology,Citrus Research Institute,Southwest University,Chongqing 400712,China
  • Received:2025-10-27 Revised:2025-11-26 Online:2026-03-25 Published:2026-03-20
  • Contact: ZHENG Yongqiang

Abstract:

Phenotypic traits(density,ratio,and biomass)and mineral nutrient status of citrus spring shoots directly determine nutrient allocation within the tree during critical flower and fruit development and the formation of the current year’s yield. To evaluate the feasibility of using quantitative phenotypic traits of spring shoots as indirect diagnostic indicators for nutrient status in orchard precision fertilization management,this study was conducted from 2022 to 2024 in 12 producing regions across 6 citrus industry belts in China(e.g.,the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River,Northern Guangxi-Southwest Jiangxi-Southwest Hunan,and Xijiang River Basin). Phenotypic traits[quantitative traits:density and ratio of reproductive shoots(RS,spring shoots with flowers)/vegetative shoots(VS,spring shoots without flowers);biomass traits:biomass and allocation of leaves/stems/whole shoots]and mineral nutrients(N,P,K contents)were systematically measured. Due to fertilization interference during the sampling period in some producing regions,mineral nutrient data were finally obtained from 8 producing regions across 4 citrus industry belts. Regional differentiation patterns and coupling relationships between spring shoot phenotype and nutrients were analyzed through significance tests and correlation analysis. The results showed that:(1)Significant regional differences existed in spring shoot density:the RS density was the highest in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River(e.g.,Beibei,63 shoots · m-2),the VS density was the highest in the Xijiang River Basin(e.g.,Fuchuan,71 shoots · m-2),and the densities of both shoot types were the lowest in Western Hubei-Western Hunan(e.g.,Huaihua,3-10 shoots · m-2);(2)Single-shoot biomass showed a pattern of“south-high and north-low”,and all regions exhibited an allocation strategy of“VS leaf biomass > RS,RS stem biomass > VS”;(3)K content showed the largest fluctuation among nutrients (75% of RS and 62.5% of VS across producing regions deviated from the national mean),with excessive K in southern regions(e.g.,Xinning,Ganzhou,1.65%-1.91%)and low K in northern regions(e.g.,Danjiangkou,Beibei,1.00%-1.28%);(4)The quantity ratio of RS to VS was extremely significantly positively correlated with their biomass ratio(r = 0.83,P < 0.01),and nutrients accumulated synergistically between RS and VS(r = 0.79,P < 0.01). This study demonstrated that the spring shoot phenotype of Newhall navel orange forms a“northern reproductive-southern vegetative”differentiation pattern(driven by climate and soil),with K as the core regulatory element. Quantitative traits of spring shoots can indirectly assess biomass and nutrient status.

Key words: orange, spring shoot, regional differentiation, phenotype, mineral nutrient