California Avocado Society 2007 Yearbook 90: 107-130

David Crowley
Department of Environmental Sciences
University of California, Riverside

Managing Soils for Avocado Production

and Root Health

Abstract
Management of avocado trees for optimal yields requires the
maintenance of a healthy root system that is fully functional for
nutrient and water uptake and growth of beneficial microorganisms
that help to suppress root disease. Many different physical, chemical
and biological factors influence root growth, all of which interact to
influence conditions for development of the root system. This review
provides an overview of best management techniques that growers
should consider and examines the effects of individual soil factors on
root function. The benefits of mulching, proper fertilizer timing, ir-
rigation and salinity management are considered in detail as variables
that can be managed to optimize avocado yields and root health.

Introduction
The proper management of fertilizers and water and the control
of root diseases are central concerns for avocado growers who often
have soils that pose difficult challenges for crop production. While
general recommendations can be made based on well established
agronomic principles, the optimization of best management practices
requires a careful consideration of the soil chemical and physical
properties. Across the different areas where avocado trees are grown in
southern California, soils vary from sands to decomposed granite and
heavy clays, each of which requires different management techniques.
This review examines the most important soil factors that affect tree
nutrition and root health, with a particular emphasis on soil physical
and chemical properties that affect root growth. Where practical,
suggestions are provided for specific management practices related
to mulching, irrigation, and fertilization on different soil types.

Soil Physical and Chemical Properties

The first step in evaluating soils for avocado production is
the determination of the soil physical and chemical properties. An
ideal soil should be well drained, with good physical structure to
facilitate root growth and provide adequate amounts of water and
oxygen to the trees. To a large extent, both the physical and chemical
properties of a soil are predetermined by the soil texture, which refers
to the relative proportion of sand, silt, and clay or particle size
classes (http://soils.usda.gov/technical/aids/investigations/texture/).
Various methods can be used to determine soil texture with the
simplest being a “feel” test that can be done by hand, or more
precisely by a sedimentation test that involves mixing a known volume
of soil with water and allowing it to settle while measuring the settled
volume over time. Sands are relatively large and coarse and have
no electrical charge and are thus inert particles that feel gritty to the
touch and settle out quickly in the sedimentation test. Sands contrib-
ute mostly to development of intermediate size pore space for water
drainage and aeration, but by themselves are very poor substrates for
plant growth. Silt and clay fractions represent progressively smaller
particle size classes, with silt being relatively inert and clays being
the smallest particles that are formed by weathering of certain types
of parent rock materials that develop a net negative electrical charge
during the weathering process.
Among the different particle size fractions, clays are par-
ticularly important for determining soil physical structure and for
providing the main source of cation exchange capacity that allows the
retention of positively charged nutrient elements such as ammonium
NH4+, calcium Ca++, magnesium Mg+, potassium K+ and sodium Na+.
The ability to hold these cations on the surface of the clay minerals is
referred to as the cation exchange capacity (CEC), and is expressed
as the milliequivalents of positive charge per kilogram of soil. This
varies for different types of clays and the proportion of clay in the
soil. Along with the mineral fraction of the soil, organic matter also
contributes greatly to the physical and chemical properties of the soil,
conferring additional cation exchange capacity, and contributes to the
development of soil structure.
A loose friable soil is essential for allowing root growth
extension as the root tips penetrate through the soil matrix. The ide-
alized soil generally has about 50% pore space, which is essential
for allowing the diffusion of gases into and out of the soil, for water
infiltration, and for providing pore space through which the roots
can grow into the soil. The large pore spaces in the soil are formed
primarily by the process of soil aggregate formation which is driven
by microbial incorporation of organic matter into the soil and binds
the clay and silt particles into small peds that confer physical structure
to the soil mass. Thus two of the most important physical properties
that are used as indicators of soil quality and good soil management
are specific properties referred to as bulk density and soil aggregate
stability.
0.2
0.4 Organic rich histosols
0.6
0.8
Uncultivated grassland
1.0
Bulk density g/cm3

1.2 Cultivated clay and silt loams

1.4
1.6 Cultivated sandy loams / sands

1.8
2.0
2.2
Concrete
2.4
Quartz
2.6
2.8

Figure 1. Typical bulk density values of soils having different soil textures.
Organic matter promotes soil aggregate formation which results in formation of
large pore spaces and lighter soil bulk densities. Sandy soils tend to have poor
aggregate formation and have much higher bulk densities even than clay soils.
 Bulk density is simply a measure of the weight per unit volume
of soil. Since the air space does not contribute to the soil weight, the
bulk density value can be used to determine the actual pore space in
the soil. A solid mass of soil particles has a typical weight of 2.65
grams per cubic centimeter. Hence, a bulk density value of 1.3 means
that the soil has approximately 50% pore space. In addition to the
total pore space, the pore size distribution, meaning that there are both
large and small pore sizes, also comes into play for providing both
large pores through which the roots can grow and small pores where
water can be adsorbed and delivered to the roots through capillary
flow. The formation of soils with good pore size distribution is fa-
cilitated by the formation of stable soil aggregates in which there are
both large pores and channels for root growth and small pores within
the aggregates that are cemented together by organic matter, fungal
hyphae, and polysaccharides that are produced by microorganisms.
While seemingly complicated, the importance of soil structure
and soil texture in controlling root growth can be measured directly.
Bulk density directly influences root growth by limiting the pore space
available for roots and by making the roots work harder to push their
tips through the soil. In comparison to hydroponics, where there is
no restriction for root growth, the root length and total number of
roots declines in a linear fashion with incremental increases in bulk
density. The maximum bulk density is attained at a value of 1.8 grams
per cubic centimeter, at which point the soil is too compact to allow
any root growth extension. Organic matter rich soils have the lowest
bulk density and support the greatest root development (Figure 1).
Cultivated clay and silt loams are heavier and have a bulk density
between 0.8 to 1.4. The most heavy and difficult for plants are culti-
vated sandy soils that typically have a bulk density around 1.5.
Soil scientists can show a proportional relationship between
root length and density of soils by growing plants in soils that have
been compacted to different degrees (Figure 2). In this case, the bulk
density is measured using a penetrometer, which is an instrument
that measures the force necessary to push a steel point through the
soil. A soil with low compaction requires a force of approximately
30 pounds per square inch to penetrate the soil. In compacted soils,
the force required to penetrate through the soil can be as high as
300 lbs per square inch, at which point root growth ceases. Since
the abundance of roots determines the ability of the plant to obtain
water and nutrients, any factor that constrains root growth directly
diminishes the potential growth of the tree and decreases both water
use efficiency and plant nutrient uptake. As bulk density increases,
both the water holding capacity and aeration also decrease. Thus the
physical structure of the soil is one of the main components of soil
quality.
100
90
80
70
Root Penetration (%)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
-10
0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Penetration Resistance (PSI)

Root growth decreases with increasing resistance until it ceases above

300 psi. Roots may still penetrate soil with natural cracks and pores are
present. http://cropsoil.psu.edu/extension/facts/img/af63fig2.jpg

Figure 2. Relationship between soil penetration resistance and the relative

percentage of root length development as compared to a hydroponically grown
plant. Root growth is already constrained 20% simply by growth in non-
compacted soil as compared to hydroponics. Even moderate compaction results
in 50% or more decreased potential root growth.

The interplay of soil texture with soil structure also determines

the ability of trees to produce abundant root growth. This can be
visualized using an artificially layered soil profile with horizons
containing different types of soil. In the example shown in Figure
3, the development of corn roots is shown for a profile constructed
with organic peat, clay and sand overlying a bottom layer of a loam
soil. The plant roots are able to sense their local environment and
develop well in the loose, nutrient rich areas of the profile but show
limited growth or no growth in the heavier soils and sand. Although
coarse sands are relatively well drained and provide ­intermediate
size pores that promote drainage and gas exchange, sandy soils lack
pore sizes that are needed for root extension so that roots may fail
to penetrate through this type of medium. Heavy clays, on the other
extreme, have an abundance of micropores that contribute to water
storage but that do not contain macropores for root growth and may
be poorly aerated, thereby limiting the growth of roots that need
oxygen in order to develop.

Figure 3. Root growth through a soil profile that contains an organic rich layer
over clay with an underlying sand layer. Abundant root development occurs in
the organic profile and continues into a clay layer, after which root growth fails
to penetrate through the sand lens due to the high bulk density and inadequate
pore space. ­

In this manner, loam soils and loose organic matter enriched

soils that contain a mixture of soil particle size classes provide the
best situation by providing an environment having good aeration,
water retention, and pore size distribution for promoting root growth
and water movement to the plant. Field studies conducted on avocado
root growth in different soil types confirm these relationships and the
effect of soil physical characteristics on root depth and distribution
(Durand et al., 1987). In the study by Durand, 18 year old trees were
completely excavated in blocks to examine root distribution in differ-
ent soil types. Interestingly, a consensus of all studies to date is that
the most important factor affecting rooting depth is the uniformity of
the soil profile, as avocado roots do not readily penetrate from one
soil texture and structure into another. In uniform soils, more than
80% of the roots are found in the top 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) and in soil
with a bulk density less than 1.7 grams per cubic centimeter. The
field observations also show that avocado tree roots do not penetrate
through sand lenses and in soils with high bulk density, the roots are
confined to the upper 20 cm of the soil horizon.
Regardless of the starting soil texture, the introduction and ac-
cumulation of soil organic matter is essential for the development of
soil aggregates that lead to soil structure and to the development of
pore spaces for water and gas entry, root growth, and prevention of
wind and water erosion. The second most common measure of soil
quality is thus the measurement of the number and size of stable soil
aggregates. To assist farmers with soil quality assessment, the USDA
provides information to farmers at a website that describes a soil
quality test kit that can be constructed from simple materials, along
with procedures for measuring soil properties such as aggregate size
and stability. When used over time, this can be helpful in determining
whether the soil physical properties are being improved or maintained
properly through the grower’s management practices. Another simple,
but more indirect measure of the soil physical structure is the measure
of hydraulic conductivity, which measures the rate of entry of water
into the soil using a ring chamber that is pressed into the soil and
then filled with water.
The baseline values for physical and chemical properties
have been measured by soil scientists who have now produced
detailed soil maps for the entire United States. These maps
can be accessed on the internet at the USDA Soil Web Survey
(http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/). The survey is user friendly
and begins with a request for the physical street address. The map
centers on the address that was entered and then can be relocated to the
specific field area using a satellite photo of the field that is displayed
for the viewer. Once a location is fixed, the soil data including pH,
hydraulic conductivity, texture and other soil quality variables can be
displayed in a table report along with supporting interpretative text.

Soil Texture and Salinity-Irrigation Management

One of the most important applications of soil texture is the
use of this information to guide irrigation and salinity management
practices that will vary for soils with different textures and structural
properties. Heavy soils are subject to poor drainage, waterlogging,
and accumulation of salts, all of which can damage the tree roots and
increase the severity of phytophthora root rot (Stolzy et al., 1967).
Avocado tree roots have a constant demand for oxygen and can die
within a few days of submergence (Hass, 1940). The ability to toler-
ate soil flooding appears to vary for different rootstocks (Valoras et
al., 1964). As the soil pore space fills during irrigation, and the air
content drops below roughly 17%, the rate of oxygen diffusion be-
comes limited and the soil oxygen levels are depleted to less than 1%
as compared to the 21% concentration that occurs in the atmosphere.
When oxygen levels in the soil pore space decline to less than 5%,
the roots will die within a few days. The problem with wet soils is
greatest in poorly drained soils that have a high bulk density or poor
soil structure (Ferreyra et al., 2007). This may also occur in otherwise
well drained, but shallow soils that overlay a hardpan or rock layer that
prevents the water from draining. Recent work suggests that avocado
rootstocks may vary greatly in their tolerance to oxygen depletion
(Hofshi, unpublished data). However, breeding programs have not
yet included this as a trait for selection, and commercial rootstock
varieties appear to be generally susceptible to this problem.
In addition to causing problems with poor root growth and
aeration, heavy, poorly drained soils with inadequate soil structure
also are the most problematic for salinity management. High levels
of chloride directly impair avocado root growth and the tree is un-
able to extract water from the soil solution when the EC rises above
a saturated paste extract salinity value of 4 dS/m. At this point, the
soil solution contains salt at a level that prevents the osmotic entry
of water into the root cells, and the tree can experience water stress
even in a water saturated soil. Sodium accumulation in the surface
soil also leads to dispersion of the aggregates, eventually leading to
loss of the soil structure. This results in an increase in bulk density,
decrease in macropore space for root growth, decreased soil aeration,
and increased problems with waterlogging. As the drainage problems
become more evident, it becomes increasingly difficult to leach the
salt from the upper profile, and the problem can spiral out of control,
leading to development of sodium and chloride ion toxicities that
cause leaf burn, as well as diminished root growth and function, and
increased incidence of Phytophthora root rot (Wager, 1942; Zentmyer
et al., 1947; Borst, 1972). For these reasons, it is especially critical to
manage heavy soils to improve their physical structure and drainage
to the maximum extent possible. Irrigation timing and frequency also
become especially critical in these soils, which should be carefully
monitored to insure proper leaching to remove the accumulated salts
from the upper soil horizon. This can be accomplished using tensiom-
eters and suction lysimeters at different depths in representative areas
of the orchard. Another important consideration is the total wetted
soil volume, as the roots will only proliferate in the areas containing
adequate soil moisture (Cantuarias et al., 1995).
One of the most convenient methods for tracking water move-
ment through the profile and insuring proper water amounts without
over watering is to install a data logger with gypsum blocks at dif-
ferent depths in the soil. The soil water potential is a direct measure
of water availability to the tree and takes into account the differences
in water availability in soils of different textural classes. Sandy soils
may be saturated at 10% water content and thus are easily depleted
and require more frequent irrigation intervals. Clay soils, on the other
hand, hold on to water so tightly that they may be “dry” but still con-
tain 40% water by weight. The water potential measures water that is
available to the plant irrespective of soil texture class, and thus can be
used to guide when the soil should be irrigated. By installing water-
marks or tensiometers at different depths, i.e., 6, 12, and 24 inches,
it is possible to determine that adequate water has been provided to
wet the soil to a 24-inch depth. The amount of water that was used to
obtain this level can then be measured as a function of the time that
was required and then used to calculate the time or volume of water
that is needed to provide a leaching fraction for removal of salts. The
volume of water that is required for leaching and the frequency at
which the soil should be leached depend on the starting salinity of
the irrigation water, natural leaching from rainfall, and soil charac-
teristics. The overall efficacy of the leaching program can be deter-
mined by measuring soil water salinity with the suction lysimeters
that sample water at different depths. This requires a capability for
routine EC measurements which to date has dissuaded many growers
who rely instead on testing laboratories and therefore do not closely
monitor their soil salinities over time. Handheld salinity meters that
are simple to use cost about $150 to $200 and provide instantaneous
readouts that can be used to better optimize irrigation and salinity
management. New soil probes that are soon to be introduced into the
marketplace may also help growers to better manage soil salinity in
problematic orchards.
Another important aspect of salinity management in heavy soils
is the use of gypsum applications (Mace et al., 2001). Gypsum, which
is the common name for calcium sulfate, provides divalent calcium,
which has two effects that alleviate problems caused by salinity in
heavy clay soils. The first effect is the displacement of sodium as
calcium exchanges with sodium on the cation exchange complex. This
causes the soil clay particles to flocculate into clumps and promotes
soil aggregation and drainage. The sulfate ions then form ion pairs
with sodium, which leaches out of the upper soil profile as sodium
sulfate. Gypsum can be supplied either in a solid mineral form that
is broadcast or can be micronized into small crystals that can be dis-
persed through the irrigation water using a fertilizer injector. Studies
examining the effect of dispersion of soil and plugging of soil pores
show that aggregate dispersion can occur even with irrigation water
containing low sodium, especially following rainfall that leaches
out divalent cations (Mace et al., 2001). Gypsum amendments also
have direct antagonistic effects on Phytophthora and can help inhibit
the development of root rot (Duvenhage et al., 1991; Messenger et
al., 2000). For all of these reasons, gypsum applications are highly
recommended for routine use in avocado production soils and are
particularly important in soils with high clay content where promoting
soil drainage and oxygen diffusion are essential for root health.

Organic Matter and Mulching

One of the main management strategies for improving the soil
physical and chemical properties, as well as for maintaining the activ-
ity of plant beneficial microorganisms, is the proper management of
soil organic matter. Avocado is a subtropical tree that normally grows
in a forest environment containing a layer of decomposing plant leaf
litter that blankets the soil and that provides a source of slowly avail-
able nutrients while increasing the soil water content. In contrast to
desert plants that have deep root systems to access water and nutrients,
most of the avocado feeder roots that function for nutrient and water
uptake are located in the top 12 inches (30 cm) of the soil, with many
of the roots developing in only the top few inches under the mulch
layer. In new orchards, one of the most important factors for success
is to heavily mulch the trees to promote development of the organic
matter layer in the surface horizon. The organic materials undergo
decomposition and transformation into stable organic materials that
include humic and fulvic acids, and the more stable humin (water
insoluble) material that combines with clay and soil particles to form
soil aggregates. Organic matter also acts like a sponge to absorb and
retain water and provides cation exchange capacity for retention of
nutrients. The mineral elements in the organic matter are also slowly
released overtime to provide nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that
are recycled and generate organic acids that dissolve trace metals and
hold them in water soluble complexes that can be taken up by the
roots. Lastly, cellulytic enzymes that are produced by microorganisms
that decompose the mulch will attack Phytophthora, which contains
cellulose in its cell walls.
Common organic materials that are used for mulching new
orchards include composted yard waste and wood chips, which are
now being recycled from green waste collection from residential areas.
Other types of organic materials require more careful consideration
in order to avoid problems. Animal manures and composted biosolids
provide useful nutrient elements for fertilization but may also contain
high amounts of salt that can damage the tree roots. These should
be thoroughly leached, ideally prior to application to the orchard,
or otherwise, soon thereafter, to push the salts down into the lower
profile below the root zone. These materials will then continue to
decompose and will release nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
over time and are transformed into stable organic matter. A special
concern is to inquire about the source of the organic material before
it is introduced into the orchard, and if possible, the material should
be inspected before it is trucked in and unloaded. Most green waste
composters are careful with their source materials, but it is important
not to introduce contaminated waste or diseased plant material into
the orchard that has not been thoroughly composted to remove weeds
and insect pests and plant pathogens.
With the recent increase in organically produced avocados,
there has been considerable interest in organic amendments such as
liquid compost and biologically enriched organic materials that are
sold to promote root growth and as organic fertilizers. While these
materials are rich in organic components, such as humic and fulvic
acid and contain some levels of nutrient elements, they are generally
very expensive in comparison to the use of traditional fertilizers and
are often marketed based on testimonial observations of improved
root growth and tree health. The controversy of biologically enriched
materials for avocado production dates back to the 1950’s in a classic
paper by Martin (Martin et al., 1952). Little has changed since this
first publication and to date, there is still no scientific evidence for
most of these biological products that would suggest they are superior
to other lower cost organic materials that are transformed in situ by
soil microorganisms to the same end products that contribute to stable
organic matter in the soil.

Managing Plant Nutrients

Of the seventeen elements that are required for plant growth,
the majority of these are supplied in abundant quantities in the soil
and irrigation water. The nutrients required in the largest quantities,
or so-called macronutrients, are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potas-
sium. Avocado trees require inputs of macronutrient elements to
replenish those that are removed by harvesting of fruit or that are
not efficiently recycled within the soil. The calculation of fertilizer
requirements has recently been facilitated by the availability of online
calculators that can be used to obtain fertilizer recommendations.
One such calculator is available in the tools section of
avocadosource http://www.avocadosource.com/tools.htm. Another
useful software program is AVOMAN, which is available at
http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/avoman/ (Newett, 1999).

Nitrogen
The most common limiting element for avocado production
is nitrogen (Batchelor, 1933), which is used primarily for protein
synthesis in the leaf and fruit tissues. The quantities vary depend-
ing on the tree compartment, with wood having very low nitrogen
content, fruit containing 0.8% N (fresh weight), and leaves having a
relatively high demand for nitrogen where it comprises 2-2.5% of the
leaf dry weight. Much of the nitrogen in the leaves can be recycled
during decomposition of the leaf litter that has fallen from the tree.
Fruit harvest, on the other hand, results in removal of nitrogen that
must be replenished with fertilizers or organic inputs. Avocado fruit
contains a much higher protein content as compared to other fruit
crops, with the fruit containing 0.7 to 0.8% nitrogen fresh weight,
which is equivalent to approximately 1 gram of nitrogen per average
size fruit (Lovatt, 1996).
Nitrogen use efficiency refers to the amount of nitrogen that
gets into the tree versus that which is applied. Typical nitrogen use
efficiency is 50%. The other 50% is lost by leaching of nitrate nitrogen
and denitrification, in which microorganisms convert nitrate into N2
and N2O gas during their respiration. In high pH soils, volatilization
of ammonia is another pathway that can lead to nutrient loss. Us-
ing the N removal calculator at avocadosource.com, and assuming
100 kg (220 lbs) of fruit per tree with 100 trees per acre (~22,000 lb
yield 10,000 kg), harvest of the fruit results in 61.7 lbs of nitrogen
per acre. Given a 50% nitrogen use efficiency, 123 lbs of nitrogen
per acre would be needed to provide for a large crop from a mature
orchard. This is generally in line with the amounts of fertilizer that
are used by avocado growers, which range from 80 to 160 lbs per
acre (89-178 kg per hectare)(Lovatt, 1996). These quantities are of
course adjusted for trees that are of different age and size or plant-
ing densities and in accordance with the expected crop yields. The
nitrogen use efficiency will also depend on the form of nitrogen that
is supplied, the soil nutrient holding capacity, and factors affecting
N losses by leaching or denitrification. A major concern from the
high levels of nitrogen is pollution of groundwater. Growers are also
concerned with fertilizer timing to maximize nitrogen use efficiency,
to improve fruit set, and to push fruit production versus promoting
growth of the leaf canopy.
Specific recommendations for nitrogen fertilization have
been derived from many studies over the past 75 years (Batchelor,
1933) and there are extensive papers on this topic (Embleton et al.,
1972; Lahav et al., 1980; Meyer et al., 1992; Lovatt, 2001). Early
recommendations by Gustafson (Gustafson, 1979) called for nitro-
gen to be provided in split applications in February and July starting
with 1/8th pound per tree for two year old trees with incremental
increases up to 1 ½ to 2 lbs per tree for 11 to 20 year old trees. More
recent work has greatly refined fertilizer timing (Lovatt, 2001). In
the review by Gustafson, fertilization was not recommended during
the blossom and fruit setting period of March to June. In contrast,
recent studies by Lovatt show that yield and fruit size could both be
increased by applying N during early shoot development in the fall
flush (mid-November) and again during early fruit set (mid-April).
The precise timing is best matched to the actual phenological stages
that vary depending on the climatic zone, with the first (fall) stage
occurring when shoot apical buds have four or more secondary axis
inflorescence meristems, and during the spring, when the trees are at
anthesis to early fruit set and have initiated the vegetative shoot flush
at the apex of indeterminate floral shoots.
Timing of fertilizers also must be considered in relation to
soil chemical properties. Only the positively charged form of nitro-
gen, NH4, can be held in soils on the cation exchange sites in clay
and organic matter. This form of nitrogen is slowly converted to
nitrate, NO3- nitrogen, through the action of nitrifying bacteria that
use the NH4+ ion as an energy source. The NO3- ion is highly subject
to leaching and further losses by denitrification. Leaching removes
the nitrate ion below the root zone and results in nitrate pollution of
ground water. Denitrification is facilitated by high microbial activity
under low oxygen conditions where nitrate is used as an alternative
electron acceptor for microbial respiration. Thus high soil moisture,
high soil carbon levels, and high nitrate levels together promote the
loss of nitrogen by this pathway. In some cases, half of the applied
nitrogen can be lost by denitrification. High rainfall can also leach
out nitrate nitrogen and is a major loss route leading to pollution of
groundwater.
In addition to fertilizer nitrogen, this element is also provided
to trees through nutrient cycling from decomposing plant litter, mulch,
and can be provided entirely to the trees by additions of manure and
other organic amendments. Typical levels of nitrogen in composted
organic materials are 15 to 20:1 on a dry weight basis, or 5 to 7% N by
weight. If the soil contains 2% organic matter, this represents 20,000
kg of organic matter per hectare (17,850 pounds per acre), containing
~1000 kg (892 lbs) of nitrogen, respectively. In this manner, organic
matter decomposition from leaf litter and organic amendments can
deliver large quantities of nitrogen to the crop. An advantage to this
form of nitrogen is that organic nitrogen provides a slow release as
the organic matter is mineralized to carbon dioxide and nutrients.
In nature, this is the most efficient process for maintaining a closed
nitrogen cycle in soils.

Phosphorus
Avocado orchards in southern California are routinely fertilized
with phosphorus fertilizers but seldom show responses to this fertilizer
nutrient. In general phosphorus levels in most soils in this region are
relatively high in comparison to the tree demand and crop removal
rates. Avocado leaf tissues normally contain 0.1 to 0.15% P. In sand
culture, P deficiency symptoms manifest as decreased vegetative
growth, small leaves, early leaf drop, and branch dieback (Lahav et al.,
1980). Phosphorus is primarily found in soils in the form of minerals,
including iron and aluminum phosphates in acid soils, and calcium
phosphates in neutral and alkaline pH soils. Dissolved phosphorus
concentrations in solution are very low due to the low solubility of
these minerals, with a maximum availability to plants at pH values
between 6.5 and 7.0. Due to the low solubility of phosphorus, this
element is often limiting to plants with coarse root systems. This is
overcome by formation of symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi that form
vast hyphal networks in the soil that function to transport phosphorus
and other diffusion limited elements (Fe, Zn, Cu) to plants. Fertilizer
forms of phosphorus include soluble salts such as ammonium phos-
phate and triple super phosphate. Other forms of phosphorus include
organic materials and manures. In general, manures contain relatively
high amounts of phosphorus and potassium as compared to nitrogen.
Thus the use of manures to fertilize trees with nitrogen results in
excessive application of phosphorus, leading to accumulation and
storage of this element in the soil in mineral forms. All phosphorus
containing materials, whether fertilizer phosphorus, phosphorus acid,
and phosphorus liberated from organic materials undergo very rapid
transformation to minerals that are precipitated out from the soil
solution. This leads to large reserves of phosphorus that can supply
this element for many years before depletion occurs.
Phosphorus is also supplied to avocado orchards indirectly by
use of phosphorous acid containing chemicals that are used to treat
avocado root rot, either by inclusion in the irrigation water or by trunk
injection. Generally phosphorus fertilization will not be a concern
except in acid sandy soils with low reserves such as in San Diego’s
Fallbrook sandy loams, Florida, and in coastal areas of Queensland
and New South Wales in Australia.

Potassium
Avocado trees have a relatively high requirement for potas-
sium, but as with phosphorus seldom show a response to potassium
fertilizers, indicating that there are abundant reserves of this element
in most California soils. In contrast to phosphorus, potassium is
relatively soluble and is easily leached from soils with a low cation
exchange capacity. Orchards are routinely fertilized with potassium,
but the importance of fertilization is greatest in sandy soils where this
element is readily leached below the root zone. As with phosphorus,
manures and other organic materials contain excess potassium in
relation to nitrogen. Thus organically managed orchards that use
manures and other organic materials to supply nitrogen will generally
have abundant potassium.

Micronutrients
Of the many different elements that are required in trace amounts
for plant nutrition, only iron and zinc are of concern to avocado grow-
ers. Both iron and zinc are relatively abundant in soils where they
occur as iron oxide and zinc oxide minerals, but nonetheless are often
deficient and are difficult to correct. The solubility of these minerals
is directly controlled by pH, with iron oxides and zinc oxides being
most soluble under acid conditions. For every unit increase in pH,
iron oxides and zinc oxides decrease in solubility by 1,000 fold and
100 fold respectively. At neutral to alkaline pH, these elements are
essentially insoluble and must be provided to the tree in an organic
complex or chelate. In this case, the organic molecule, generally an
organic acid, or the chelate function by attacking the mineral surfaces
to strip out the metal and form a complex that contains the metal ion
within a shielded center that is enveloped by the organic molecule.
The complex then moves by diffusion and mass flow to the plant
roots where it is released into an ion channel and exchanged with
another carrier, generally citrate, within the plant. The citrate metal
complex then is transported through the xylem to the leaf tissue and
incorporated into various molecules that use these metals for reactions
involving energy transfer and electron transport.
In alkaline soils one of the main factors that contributes to
iron and zinc deficiency besides the low solubility of these elements
is interference from dissolved carbonates that form from dissolution
of calcium carbonates (lime, seashells), and that are generated by
respiration of the roots when CO2 respired by the roots dissolves in
the soil solution to form carbonic acid. Carbonates are also taken up
by the plant and strongly interfere with the binding and transport of
the metals by citric acid in the xylem; hence the difficulty in treat-
ing these trace-metal deficiencies. Often zinc and iron deficiencies
show up in hotspots in the orchard in areas that contain free lime or
calcium carbonates (Crowley et al., 1995). The symptoms will be
most severe in heavy, poorly drained soils where CO2 accumulates
in the root zone (Crowley et al., 1995).
One of the most important considerations in treating trace-
metal deficiency is correct diagnosis of the problem. Zinc deficiencies
occur in both acid and alkaline soils. In acid soils, zinc deficiencies
result when zinc has solubilized and leached into the subsoil so that
total soil quantities are depleted in the root zone. Here an application
of zinc sulfate will provide a quick and easy response. In contrast,
both iron and zinc deficiency can occur singly or together in neutral
and alkaline soils. In this case, visual diagnosis of the deficiency is
not adequate as a deficiency of either metal is manifested by nearly
identical symptoms that appear as interveinal chlorosis or yellowing
of the leaf tissue between the leaf veins, and that show up primarily
in the new foliage. Because there has been so much emphasis on zinc,
avocado growers have often applied zinc fertilizers as part of their
fertilization regime when the real problem is iron deficiency. As more
and more zinc fertilizer has been applied over the years, the levels
of zinc in many soils in southern California have reached near toxic
concentrations. Thus it is essential to use plant leaf tissue analysis
to determine which type of metal deficiency is actually occurring
when deficiency symptoms arise and then treat with the appropriate
material.
Zinc fertilizers have been applied to trees by foliar applica-
tion, soil application of fertilizers, trunk injection and fertigation. Of
these methods, trunk injection is the least effective, followed by foliar
application, and either fertigation or soil application of fertilizers is
the most effective (Crowley et al., 1996). Experiments examining
foliar application of zinc using radioactive labeled zinc show that
negligible quantities of this element are transported in the plant to
other locations from the treated leaf surface. Among the different
fertilizer materials, zinc and iron chelates applied to the soil or in the
irrigation water are the most effective as compared to materials such
as zinc sulfate. Alternatively, zinc sulfate can be applied along with
acid forming materials such as sulfur to increase the metal solubility.
In contrast to zinc where a variety of fertilizers are available, iron
is applied only as a synthetic chelate. There are many different iron
chelate formulations that have either EDTA or EDDHA as the active
material. EDTA is unstable with iron at high pH and is a very tem-
porary fix. The better but more expensive formulations will contain
Fe-EDDHA. This chelate is very stable with iron at alkaline pH and
will last for over a year, with the molecule acting as a taxi to shuttle
iron continuously from iron minerals to the roots. Timing of any zinc
or iron fertilizer should be matched with new root growth, as trees
will not show any response until active new root growth occurs when
the element is taken up by the new elongating roots.

Managing Soils for Root Health

While the emphasis of this article has been on the relationship
between soils and their ability to support root growth and nutrition,
the chemical and physical properties of soils also directly impact the
growth and activity of soil microorganisms that function for nutrient
cycles in soils and that promote root growth by disease suppression
and production of plant hormones. The activity of microorganisms is
also important for formation of aggregates and has a positive feedback
in creating a soil environment that is favorable for plant growth by
promoting good soil structure, aeration, drainage, and root elonga-
tion. Among the different variables that are used to assess soil qual-
ity, soil biological variables are still the least understood and most
difficult to interpret. This is due to the tremendous species diversity
and complexity of soil microbial communities. Typical soils contain
25,000 to 50,000 different species of bacteria per gram of soil, and
the species composition of the soil microbial community varies for
different soil types and over time. The highly dynamic composition
of microbial communities in soils makes it very difficult to determine
what constitutes a “normal” community, and the large number of spe-
cies that are present makes it very difficult and expensive to determine
the community composition in a particular sample.
Most measures of soil biological quality rely on measurements
of soil respiration and biomass. While all plant life is dependent
on soil microorganisms, our inability to assess exactly how differ-
ent management practices affect plant beneficial microbial activity
makes it difficult to give specific recommendations. As a general
rule of thumb, conditions that support high biological diversity and
total microbial biomass tend to be associated with good soil structure
and root health. Unfortunately, our lack of soil biological quality
indicators limits the ability of soil microbiologists to scientifically
determine the value of a wide range of microbial products that have
appeared on the market. Most of these products are marketed based
on testimonial statements, and there is little or no scientific evidence
for the claimed effects. This does not mean that some such products
do not have value, but can in some instances, lead to extravagant
claims that do not have a scientific basis and that are probably too
good to be true. For example, some companies market their products
based on counts of bacteria in the material they are selling, and in
some cases will enumerate specific species or types of bacteria that
were added to the mix. However, when compared to the numbers of
bacteria in soil, which typically range between 100 million to 1 bil-
lion cells per gram of soil, the net addition of bacteria is meaningless.
Furthermore, soil inoculants may contain bacteria that have been
cultivated under rich conditions in the organic medium, but that will
quickly starve and die when they are added to soils. Studies on the
fate of soil inoculants that are used for biocontrol of root disease or
for bioremediation of soil contaminants generally show that greater
than 90% of the inoculated bacteria disappear within a week, and
the numbers continue to decline until they eventually vanish below
detection limits.
Despite the uncertainty regarding many microbial products,
there is great interest in developing scientifically based approaches
for monitoring and promoting the populations of bacterial and fungal
species that have been shown in carefully conducted laboratory studies
to promote root growth and suppress plant pathogens. The majority
of plant beneficial microorganisms that have been identified to date
are those that can be readily cultured in the laboratory and include
various species of Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Streptomyces, Azotobacter,
and other genera. However, as less than 95% of the bacterial species
in soil can be cultured in the laboratory, it is likely that these species
represent a very small percentage of the total number of bacteria that
interact with plant roots and root pathogens. Studies in which these
bacteria are inoculated into soils show that very high population den-
sities are required to exert significant effects that can be measured.
For example, disease suppressive strains of plant growth promoting
pseudomonads must be maintained at greater than 100,000 cells per
gram of soil. One time inoculation of soils with these organisms fails
to achieve these levels. On the other hand, experiments with citrus
using a field based fermenter, in which bacteria could be automatically
cultured and injected into the irrigation water at regular intervals,
showed that phytophthora root rot could be suppressed by maintain-
ing high densities of the suppressive bacterium. It is clear that more
work needs to be done in this area to take advantage of manipulating
microbial communities to enhance root growth.

Future Outlook
Good soil management practices provide the foundation for sus-
tainable agriculture and are essential for optimizing the productivity
and root health of any agronomic or horticultural crop. In comparison
to many crops, avocado trees, with most of their feeder roots prolifer-
ating in the top six inches of the soil profile, are especially sensitive
to soil management practices. They are susceptible to damage due
to poor aeration, waterlogging, salinity, and root disease. Avocado
growers, on the other hand, take pride in a “hand grown” crop and are
attentive to using the best methods available for producing high crop
yields of quality fruit. This requires that individual growers be aware
of the specific properties of their orchard soils and the best way to
tailor their irrigation and fertilization practices. Research funded by
the California Avocado Commission has provided the framework for
development of best management practices, but requires a continual
education program to make sure that recommendations are dissemi-
nated and followed by growers and grove managers. Management
of soil physical and chemical properties can be achieved by proper
use of organic amendments and mulches, routine applications of
gypsum, and proper irrigation methods to avoid deterioration of soil
structure through soil salinization. With the increasing cost of water
and likelihood that growers will need to increase their reliance on
saline groundwater or reclaimed water, there is still considerable room
for improvement in water monitoring and salinity management prac-
tices. Likewise, fertilizer timing and best management of fertilizers
for optimal production while avoiding excessive use of nitrogen and
micronutrient fertilizers that can cause pollution need further study.
Organic farming methods that are increasingly being used by growers
will almost certainly be beneficial for promoting good soil properties
but should be carried out scientifically to determine those practices
and products that are beneficial and cost effective.

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Note: Many of the cited articles are available at
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