ABSTRACT Soil fertility evaluation through soil analysis traditionally does not consider interaction among elements. To include the interaction effect in interpretation of soil analyses, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kg N per plant per cycle) with urea (45 % N) and potassium fertilization (0, 0.55, 1.1, and 2.2 kg K2O per plant per cycle) with potassium chloride (60 % K2O) on soil cationic balance. The experiment was carried out in an irrigated commercial production area of ‘Paluma’ guava, for five consecutive cycles, 2009 through 2012, using the concept of isometric log ratio (ilr) to evaluate soil cationic balance through [K, Ca, Mg | H+Al], [K | Ca, Mg] and [Ca | Mg] balances. The compositional data analysis showed to be a suitable tool to interpret the soil cationic balance given that the soil cationic balances value was changed by nitrogen fertilization and potassium as well as the soil pH value and the concentration of K in the soil. The soil cationic balances also changed by the variations of in climate conditions at period of soil sample. An application rate of 0.55 kg K2O per plant per cycle was considered sufficient to keep K soil concentration above 1.6 mmolc dm-3.

ABSTRACT Guava response to fertilization can be monitored through plant tissue analysis. Correct interpretation of these results, based on standard levels, is of great importance for correct nutrient management of the crop. However, standard levels are constantly criticized for not considering interactions among elements. To improve the nutritional diagnosis of ‘Paluma’ guava (Psidium guajava L., Myrtaceae), an experiment was conducted using nitrogen fertilization (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kg per plant per cycle of N, with urea as a source with 45 % N), and potassium fertilization (0, 0.55, 1.1, and 2.2 kg per plant per cycle of K2O, with potassium chloride as a source with 60 % K2O) in an irrigated commercial area for five consecutive cycles, 2009 through 2012, observing the influence of fertilizers and climate and assessing yield and leaf element content, using the concept of isometric log ratios (ilr) to interpret leaf analysis results (N, P, Ca, Mg, K, and S). This paper showed that nutrient balances and nutrient concentration values can be interpreted coherently using compositional data analysis. Ranges of nutrient balances also were established for “Paluma” guava and validated through ranges grounded in nutrient contents currently used in Brazil. Nitrogen fertilization increased “Paluma” guava yield. The 0.5 kg N application rate per plant and the other studied treatments practically showed the same results, and their values were affected by pruning time as well as the nutrient balances.

As recommendações de fertilizantes da cultura atoca são determinadas a partir de análises de planta e solo. No entanto, as faixas críticas de concentração nos tecidos utilizados para fins de diagnóstico são influenciadas por interações de nutrientes e pela idade fisiológica. A análise de dados composicionais log isométricas (ilr) de nutrientes, bem como a idade fisiológica podem ser removidas numéricamente na interpretação dos dados analíticos dos tecidos. Nosso objetivo foi obter padrões imparciais para o perfil nutrivo da atóca, cultivada no Québec, Canadá, e comparar esses padrões com os dados da literatura. Os testes de campo foram realizadas durante 3 anos consecutivos com diferentes tratamentos com fósforo, em seis áreas comerciais do Québec. Os tecidos foliares foram analisados para N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Zn, Mn e Fe. Os resultados analíticos foram transformados em nove ilr. Os valores de referência ilr foram computados a partir de rendimentos de atóca ≥ 35 Mg ha-1. Muitas áreas de atóca parecem ser mais adubadas com K, Mg ou Fe ou sub-adubadas com Mn, como mostrado pelo desequilíbrio [K | Ca, Mg] e [Mn | Fe]. Faixas de concentração de nutrientes do Maine e Wisconsin foram combinadas em valores ilr para obter faixas de equilíbrio. As faixas de nutrientes foram mais amplas no Quebec que em outras regiões para os balanços [Ca | Mg] e [Mn | Fe], comparando-se a cultira de atoca de alta produtividade no Québec.

Fertilizer recommendations for cranberry crops are guided by plant and soil tests. However, critical tissue concentration ranges used for diagnostic purposes are inherently biased by nutrient interactions and physiological age. Compositional data analysis using isometric log ratios (ilr) of nutrients as well as time detrending can avoid numerical biases. The objective was to derive unbiased nutrient signature standards for cranberry in Quebec and compare those standards to literature data. Field trials were conducted during 3 consecutive years with varying P treatments at six commercial sites in Quebec. Leaf tissues were analyzed for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe. The analytical results were transformed into ilr nutrient balances of parts and groups of parts. High-yield reference ilr values were computed for cranberry yielding greater than 35 Mg ha-1. Many cranberry fields appeared to be over-supplied with K and either under-supplied with Mn or over-supplied with Fe as shown by their imbalanced [K | Ca, Mg] and [Mn | Fe] ratios. Nutrient concentration ranges from Maine and Wisconsin, USA, were combined into ilr values to generate ranges of balances. It was found that these nutrient ranges were much too broad for application in Quebec or outside the Quebec ranges for the [Ca | Mg] and the [Mn | Fe] balances, that were lower compared to those of high yielding cranberry crops in Quebec.

A resposta da goiabeira à calagem e à adubação pode ser monitorada por análises de tecido vegetal. O perfil nutricional é definido em relação a padrões de teores de nutrientes. No entanto, os teores de nutrientes-padrão são constantemente criticados por não considerarem as interações que ocorrem entre nutrientes e por gerarem tendências numéricas, decorrentes da redundância dos dados, da dependência de escala e da distribuição não normal. As técnicas de análise composicional de dados podem controlar esses dados tendenciosos, equilibrando os grupos de nutrientes, tais como os envolvidos na calagem e na adubação. A utilização das relações log isométricas (ilr) ortonormais, sequencialmente dispostas, evita tendências numéricas inerentes aos dados de composição. Os objetivos do trabalho foram relacionar o balanço de nutrientes dos tecidos vegetais com a produção de goiabeiras em pomares de 'Paluma' diferentemente corrigidos e adubados, e ajustar os atuais padrões de nutrientes com a faixa de equilíbrio das goiabeiras mais produtivas. Um experimento de calagem de sete anos e três, experimentos de três anos com doses de N, P2O5 e K2O, foram conduzidos em pomares de goiabeiras 'Paluma' em um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo. Os teores de N, P, K, Ca e Mg na planta foram monitorados anualmente. Selecionaram-se os balanços [N, P, K | Ca, Mg], [N, P | K], [N | P] e [Ca | Mg] para separar os efeitos da calagem (Ca-Mg) e dos fertilizantes (N-K) nos balanços de macronutrientes. Os balanços foram mais influenciados pela calagem do que pela fertilização. A produtividade das goiabeiras e seu balanço nutricional permitiram a definição de faixas de equilíbrio de nutrientes e sua validação com as faixas de concentrações críticas atualmente utilizadas no Brasil e combinadas em coordenadas ilr.

Guava response to liming and fertilization can be monitored by tissue testing. Tissue nutrient signature is often diagnosed against nutrient concentration standards. However, this approach has been criticized for not considering nutrient interactions and to generate numerical biases as a result of data redundancy, scale dependency and non-normal distribution. Techniques of compositional data analysis can control those biases by balancing groups of nutrients, such as those involved in liming and fertilization. The sequentially arranged and orthonormal isometric log ratios (ilr) or balances avoid numerical bias inherent to compositional data. The objectives were to relate tissue nutrient balances with the production of "Paluma" guava orchards differentially limed and fertilized, and to adjust the current patterns of nutrient balance with the range of more productive guava trees. It was conducted one experiment of 7-yr of liming and three experiments of 3-yr with N, P and K trials in 'Paluma' orchards on an Oxisol. Plant N, P, K, Ca and Mg were monitored yearly. It was selected the [N, P, K | Ca, Mg], [N, P | K], [N | P] and [Ca | Mg] balances to set apart the effects of liming (Ca-Mg) and fertilizers (N-K) on macronutrient balances. Liming largely influenced nutrient balances of guava in the Oxisol while fertilization was less influential. The large range of guava yields and nutrient balances allowed defining balance ranges and comparing them with the critical ranges of nutrient concentration values currently used in Brazil and combined into ilr coordinates.

A análise do tecido é uma ferramenta útil para o manejo de nutrientes em pomares de frutas. A composição mineral dos tecidos diagnósticos expressa a concentração de nutrientes em relação à matéria seca e, tem sido muito utilizada para avaliar o status dos nutrientes "puros". Quando os nutrientes interagem nos tecidos vegetais, suas proporções ou concentrações mudam relativamente entre si, como resultado do sinergismo, do antagonismo, ou da neutralidade, produzindo, portanto, uma ressonância dentro do espaço fechado da composição do tecido. Os diagramas ternários e as relações entre nutrientes são as representações iniciais da interação de nutrientes no espaço da composição. As interações duplas e múltiplas foram integradas pelo Sistema Integrado de Diagnose e Recomendação (DRIS) nos índices de nutrientes, e pela Diagnose da Composição Nutricional nas relações do log centralizado (CND-clr). O DRIS possui algumas falhas computacionais, tais como a utilização de um índice de matéria seca o qual não faz parte, bem como os produtos de nutrientes (por exemplo, NxCa) ao invés de relações. O DRIS e o CND-clr integram todas as possíveis interações de nutrientes, sem a definição de um modelo ad hoc interativo. Eles diagnosticam D componentes, enquanto D-1 componentes podem ser diagnosticados no espaço D-composicional de Hilbert. As coordenadas da relação log isométrica (ilr) supera esses problemas, usando partições de nutrientes binárias ortonormais, ao invés de relações duplas. Neste artigo, apresentamos um modelo interativo de nutrientes, bem como métodos de cálculo para DRIS, CND-clr e para as coordenadas CND-ilr (CND-ilr), utilizando dados analíticos foliares de um pomar experimental de maçã no sudoeste de Québec, no Canadá. Calculamos as distâncias de Mahalanobis e de Aitchison entre as coordenadas ilr como medidas de desequilíbrio nutricional. O efeito da alteração na concentração de nutrientes nas coordenadas ilr foi simulado para identificar aqueles que mais contribuem para o desequilíbrio de nutrientes.

Tissue analysis is a useful tool for the nutrient management of fruit orchards. The mineral composition of diagnostic tissues expressed as nutrient concentration on a dry weight basis has long been used to assess the status of 'pure' nutrients. When nutrients are mixed and interact in plant tissues, their proportions or concentrations change relatively to each other as a result of synergism, antagonism, or neutrality, hence producing resonance within the closed space of tissue composition. Ternary diagrams and nutrient ratios are early representations of interacting nutrients in the compositional space. Dual and multiple interactions were integrated by the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) into nutrient indexes and by Compositional Nutrient Diagnosis into centered log ratios (CND-clr). DRIS has some computational flaws such as using a dry matter index that is not a part as well as nutrient products (e.g. NxCa) instead of ratios. DRIS and CND-clr integrate all possible nutrient interactions without defining an ad hoc interactive model. They diagnose D components while D-1 could be diagnosed in the D-compositional Hilbert space. The isometric log ratio (ilr) coordinates overcome these problems using orthonormal binary nutrient partitions instead of dual ratios. In this study, it is presented a nutrient interactive model as well as computation methods for DRIS and CND-clr and CND-ilr coordinates (CND-ilr) using leaf analytical data from an experimental apple orchard in Southwestern Quebec, Canada. It was computed the Aitchison and Mahalanobis distances across ilr coordinates as measures of nutrient imbalance. The effect of changing nutrient concentrations on ilr coordinates are simulated to identify the ones contributing the most to nutrient imbalance.