1ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema-797 106, Nagaland, India
2ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute, Amravati Road, Nagpur-440 033, Maharashtra, India
3ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam-793 103, Meghalaya, India
*Corresponding Author: Christy B.K. Sangma, ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema-797 106, Nagaland, India, Email: christysangma@gmail.com
Online published on 1 July, 2025.
Khasi mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) a loose-skinned commercial cultivar is one of the premier citrus species native to sub-tropical hill zones of Northeast India. But this fruit crop suffers a serious threat due to the dieback condition in the present years.
Khasi mandarin orchards of different categories viz. young non-bearing orchards, bearing healthy orchards, bearing old orchards and declining orchards were selected for the study from the sub-tropical hill zones of acidic Inceptisols at varying altitudes of <150 m to >1400 m amsl. In those selected orchards, a series of soil physico-chemical, biological and microbiological attributes were characterized in the healthy as well as in the declining orchards.
The results revealed that both the physico-chemical and biological parameters in the healthy orchards were found to be significantly (P≤0.05) higher than the declining orchards. Further, the mycorrhizal colonization effectively influenced the composition of microbial structure in the rhizospheric zone, affecting the health and vigour of the plant.
Acid soils, Khasi mandarin, Microbial biomass, Mycorrhizal colonization, Soil quality
