Rootstock Influence on Growth and Mineral Content of Citrus limon and Citrus sinensis cv. Valencia Inoculated with Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus

Abstract

Huanglongbing (HLB) reduces the growth and development of citrus and induces changes in secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, limonoids, and polyamines. Likewise, infected plants have a deficient absorption of nutrients such as zinc, potassium, manganese, and copper. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different rootstocks on morphology and mineral changes of Citrus limon and Citrus sinensis cv. Valencia plants inoculated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. In a greenhouse of the Experimental Station-Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus bacteria were inoculated to Citrus limon plants (growing on Citrus volkameriana, Citrus macrophylla, and Citrus aurantium rootstocks) and Citrus sinensis cv. Valencia (growing on Citrus volkameriana and Citrus aurantium rootstocks). The experiment was established under a completely randomized design with 45 graft/rootstock repetitions. In each graft/rootstock combination, the plant height and stem diameter were determined using a tape measurer and a Vernier, respectively. In addition, the nutrient content of foliar samples was determined by an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. In both citrus species, the C. aurantium rootstock promoted a higher concentration of the bacteria. On the other hand, the rootstock that showed the best agronomical results after inoculation with the bacteria was C. volkameriana, presenting the least variation in mineral content and conferring greater plant height (15%) and stem diameter (23%). In contrast, the presence of Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus decreased S content and increased Cu concentration in C. lemon plants. Similarly, plants infected with C. sinensis presented higher Fe content. Finally, in both species, no significant differences were observed for Mn, P, and Zn concentration.

The Effect of Organic Fertilization on Leaf Mineral Content of Three Citrus Species

“…As it is noted in the above-mentioned results, lemon trees grafted on Citrus aurantium were the most responsive to organic fertilization and the accumulation of most of the macro and micro elements, followed by orange trees grafted on the same rootstock, while it was noted that mandarin trees grafted on Citrus aurantium were the least responsive among the three types, and this may be due to the effect of the rootstock [14]. The results agree with [15] in the effect of the rootstock on the efficiency of the use of elements in lemon seedlings grafted on different citrus roots, and with [16], In the difference rootstock effect on the leaf mineral content, as they indicated a significant Fe accumulation increase in orange leaves than in lemon, this was attributed to the rootstock affect. Organic waste greatly affects the physical and chemical properties and fertility of the soil, as it enriches it with the elements that are necessary for the growth of plants, as well as the temporary change of soil acidity and affecting its buffering capacity, which due to absorb microelements, especially in the base soils [17], this may explain the plants leaf content of both macro and micro elements, as the tables indicate.…”

Potential of resistance inducers for citrus huanglongbing management via soil application and assessment of induction of pathogenesis-related protein genes

“…No significant reduction was reported in the case of SA alone with all combinations of citrus species and rootstock. Sáenz-Pérez et al [ 52 ] reported that C. aurantium rootstock is not suitable for lemon and sweet orange since it had the highest level of CLas titer. However, C. macropylla and C. volkameriana showed lower Cq values.…”