Integrated Nutrient Management Significantly Improves Pomelo (Citrus grandis) Root Growth and Nutrients Uptake under Acidic Soil of Southern China

Root system plays a crucial role in plant growth and development by uptake of soil nutrients, which is affected intensive use NPK fertilizer. However, it unknown how integrated nutrient management (INM) could affect the root its red soils southern China. For this, impacts different INM practices on morphological traits were investigated pomelo tree. First, we spatial distribution various tree ages (i.e., 8, 13, 18, 23 years old) found optimum at 20–80 cm around trunk topsoil (0–20 cm). Hence, trees fertilized trunk, i.e., FFP (farmer fertilization practice), optimization fertilizer (O) combined with lime (L) mushroom residue (M) known as O+L+M treatment, O+L Mg called O+L+Mg treatment. We that length (RL) significantly increased application (108.5 219.1 cm) (73.6, 66.8 subsoil, respectively, 2019. Similarly, surface area (RSA) was higher under INM, > FFP. diameter (RD), (0.8 mm) (1.5 showed lower than (2.54 mm). The tips (RT) also improved considerably compared Besides, contents (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) over Similar trends nutrients recorded 2020. Overall, these findings suggest significant acidic soil, be useful for maximizing crop productivity.