Partitioning of Nutrients in Young Lychee Trees

Abstract

One, two and three year-old lychee trees were uprooted and dissected into leaves, twigs, branches, stems and roots in early December, 1998. Dry weights of these organs were determined. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magesium, iron , manganes, copper, boron and zinc concentrations in each organ were examined. Twigs and main stem accounted for the major dry matter in the one yer-old tree. As plant aged, number of terminal shoots increased and, as a consequence, twigs and leaves accounted for more dry matter than the other vegetative organs. Concentrations of essential nutrients were higher in the leaves than the other plant parts except for the concentrations of iron, coper and zinc which were higher in the small roots. Nutrient contents in the leaves of three year-old lychee were 20-40 times higher than those of one year-old tree.