Effect of Foliar Application of Cu and Zn on Nutrients’ Uptake and Water Retention for Growth of Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus Infected Citrus Cultivars in Sargodha, Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33866/phytopathol.037.01.1241Keywords:
Foliar spray, citrus, atomic absorption spectroscopy, zinc, copper, huanglongbing, polymerase chain reactionAbstract
Huanglongbing (HLB), caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), poses a severe threat to global citrus production by impairing root function and consequently nutrient and water uptake. This study investigated the impact of foliar zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) applications on nutrient assimilation and water regulation in healthy and CLas-infected citrus cultivars—Citrus aurantium var. Kinnow, and Citrus sinensis var. Valencia Late and Ruby Blood—grown in Sargodha, Pakistan. Foliar application was selected to circumvent root dysfunction, delivering micronutrients directly to leaves to enhance uptake efficiency and plant defense responses. Pre-treatment analysis via atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) revealed that infected roots had higher concentrations of zinc (Zn: 2.03 mg/L) and copper (Cu: 0.74 mg/L) compared to healthy roots (Zn: 0.65 mg/L; Cu: 0.42 mg/L), with only copper showing a statistically significant increase (p = 0.02). Following foliar treatment, both Zn and Cu levels significantly increased in roots and leaves of infected plants, with Zn in infected roots nearly doubling to 4.23 mg/L (p = 0.02) and Cu levels markedly rising to 25.57 mg/L (p = 0.07), while infected leaves also exhibited elevated Zn (3.87 mg/L, p = 0.04) and Cu (25.63 mg/L, p = 0.02). These findings suggest foliar micronutrient application significantly improves mineral accumulation despite infection. Concurrent improvements in leaf area and water retention further supported physiological recovery post-treatment. This study presents foliar Zn and Cu application as a promising, targeted strategy for managing HLB-associated nutrient deficiencies, particularly in regions with compromised root function.References
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