Spatial response of Carya cathayensis quality to soil nutrients

Objectives Study of the relationship between Carya cathayensis and soil nutrients will provide scientific reference for the nutrient management and rational distribution of Carya cathayensis.

Methods Lin’an, a typical producing area of Carya cathayensis, was selected as the research area, and soil and Carya cathayensis samples were taken in 153 sites across the area. The contents of nutrients in the soil of production area were analyzed using geostatistics and GIS spatial analysis technology, and the variation of macro- and micro-elements in the soil and its production area were explored to understand the distribution characteristics, variation and spatial correspondence.

Results The correlation coefficients and cross correlation function analysis showed that there were different degrees of correspondence between soil nutrients and fruit quality. Among them, the fruit N was significantly correlated with soil available N, P, K, Zn and Mn; the fruit P was significantly correlated with soil available P, B, Mn and Zn; and the fruit K was significantly correlated with soil available K, B, Fe and Zn. The crude fat of fruit was significantly affected by soil available P, B, Zn. The contents of soil macro- and micro-nutrients in Lin’an varied significantly among the surveyed sites. The fruit K and crude fat contents were relatively consistent across the area, while the fruit N and P contents varied significantly, showing a trend of increasing from the northwest to the southeast of Lin’an, especially for N, in which the spatial variation was significant.

Conclusions The nutrition quality of Carya cathayensis fruit and soil nutrients show similar spatial correspondence, and the fruit quality of Carya cathayensis is significantly affected by soil available P, B, and Zn contents. In general, the soil nutrient contents and Carya cathayensis quality in the west and south of Daoshi Town, Tuankou Town, Heqiao Town, Taiyang Town and south Changhua Town were relatively high, while those in the north Changhua Town, west Qingliangfeng Town and north Longgang Town were relatively low.