| Abstract: | Abstract A nutritional survey of 23 commercial peach orchards was carried out in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Areas (M.I.A.) of New South Wales during three growing seasons (1961–62, 1962–63 and 1963–64). Sampling sites were chosen to provide the widest possible coverage of peach orchards of above average productivity. Leaf and soil samples were taken from each site for chemical analysis. The lighter textured (loamy sand) soils were found to have low reserves of N, P, Ca, Mg and K which could limit growth and yield. The heavier textured colluvial (sandy loam) and alluvial (clay loam) soils contained adequate reserves of most nutrients except N and P. Colluvial soils were particularly low in P. On all soils organic matter contents were very low, generally being below 1.0%. Leaf N, P, K and B contents decreased during the growing season from October to April. In contrast, leaf Ca, Mg, Na and Cl contents increased over the same period. Since there was a tendency for the leaf N and P contents to decrease slightly during January, this month is suggested as being the most suitable for the collection of leaf samples for diagnostic purposes. Despite the low reserves of some nutrients as indicated by soil analysis, generally satisfactory levels of leaf N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, B, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn were found. |
