A Study of the Nutritional Diagnosis on Apple Crops Using Multispectral Indices in a Semi-Arid Environment (Chihuahua, Mexico)

The effect of anomalies of foliar mineral nutrients on the nutritional behavior of apple crops has been evaluated using parameters obtained by means of remote sensing techniques. Twenty-five plots in commercial orchards were selected in the five most important municipalities of Chihuahua State, Mexico in which the main nutritional parameters were measured (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, and B). Important deficiencies of these nutrients were detected in 88% of the analyzed crops. These deficiencies showed significant correlation with the spectral data (SPOT5) and with the NDVI elaborated from these data. The mathematical models obtained showed high determination coefficients for most of the mineral elements; concretely, nitrogen and calcium presented the best results (0.80 and 0.76, respectively)