Orr, Ryan, Northfield, Tobin D., Pattison, Tony, and Nelson, Paul N. (2023) Soil physicochemical characteristics and leaf nutrient contents on banana farms of North Queensland, Australia. Crop & Pasture Science, 74 (5). pp. 483-493.

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Abstract

Context. Banana production in Australia is in three primary sub-regions within tropical North Queensland and the industry faces a variety of challenges including costs of production, disease and pests, and environmental impacts. The range of soil characteristics and banana leaf nutrient status on banana farms has not previously been systematically described. This knowledge gap makes it difficult to adapt research, management recommendations, and regulations to the needs of the three primary growing sub-regions.

Aims. In this work, we aimed to identify key soil factors that differentiate growing sub-regions, and provide context for future research and industry regulation.

Methods. We characterised soil and banana leaf samples from 28 banana farms on soil types accounting for >85% of Australia’s banana production.

Key results and conclusions. Variation in soil properties and leaf nutrient concentrations were driven largely by site-(principal component 1 in both cases) and management-related variables (principal component 2 in both cases). Management-related foliar nutrient concentrations did not differ between regions despite differences in the associated soil variables. The most important site characteristics appeared to be soil parent material and climate. The Mareeba sub-region has basaltic soils, low rainfall and temperature, whereas the other two sub-regions are hotter, wetter and have a variety of soil parent materials. Leaf nitrogen concentrations were mostly below the regulated limit for additional nitrogen fertiliser application.

Implications. Our findings can facilitate sub-regionspecific site selection for research, extension, and monitoring and more targeted regulation of banana production-and environment-related issues.

Item ID:	79332
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1836-0947
Keywords:	agronomy, climate, crop management, nitrogen allocation, phosphorus nutrition, soil parent material, tropical crops, tropical soils
Copyright Information:	© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
Funders:	Hort Innovation
Projects and Grants:	BA14014
Date Deposited:	19 Jul 2023 01:31
FoR Codes:	30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3004 Crop and pasture production > 300402 Agro-ecosystem function and prediction @ 30% 41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4106 Soil sciences > 410601 Land capability and soil productivity @ 30% 30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3004 Crop and pasture production > 300407 Crop and pasture nutrition @ 40%
SEO Codes:	26 PLANT PRODUCTION AND PLANT PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 2605 Horticultural crops > 260516 Tropical fruit @ 40% 18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1806 Terrestrial systems and management > 180605 Soils @ 40% 18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1806 Terrestrial systems and management > 180601 Assessment and management of terrestrial ecosystems @ 20%
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