Soil fertility in densely planted mango cultivation as a function of rootstock

Advances in research on mineral nutrition interactions among scion–rootstock combinations support the development of more precise fertilization strategies. This study evaluated soil fertility dynamics in a high-density mango orchard with cultivars ‘Palmer’, ‘Tommy Atkins’, ‘Kent’, and ‘Keitt’ grafted onto the polyembryonic rootstocks Capucho, Coquinho, and Espada. The experiment followed a 4 × 3 factorial scheme, with five replications and two plants per plot. Soil samples were collected at 180, 360, and 540 days after transplanting to determine pH, available P and K+, exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+, potential acidity (H + Al³+), Cu2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Na+, and electrical conductivity. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and multivariate analysis. Most soil chemical attributes were not significantly influenced by scion–rootstock combinations over time, indicating that soil fertility during orchard establishment was mainly affected by fertilization management and nutrient uptake. However, significant interactions were observed for exchangeable Ca2+ and Cu2+ at 360 days, as well as for pH and H + Al³+ at specific periods, demonstrating that certain scion–rootstock combinations can modulate soil chemical dynamics. Overall, soil pH, Ca2+, and Cu2+ remained within recommended ranges for mango cultivation, while electrical conductivity indicated absence of salinity. Multivariate analysis showed that soil variability was primarily associated with fertility-related nutrients and secondarily with micronutrient availability. These results indicate that rootstock–scion combinations exert limited but measurable effects on soil fertility during orchard establishment in irrigated semi-arid systems under tropical conditions relevant to modern high-density mango production.