Fertilization Strategies in Huanglongbing-Infected Citrus latifolia and Their Physiological and Hormonal Effects

Huanglongbing disease (HLB), caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), affects all commercial citrus species. Persian lime (Citrus latifolia Tanaka), a crop of global economic importance, has shown tolerance to this disease. Efforts are focused on extending the productive life of diseased trees through effective agronomic management. This study aimed to evaluate how different fertilization strategies influence the physiological and hormonal responses of Citrus latifolia on both healthy and HLB-affected plants. It compared the effects of low (Ma-1), medium (Ma-2), and high (Ma-3) doses of macronutrients, with and without the addition of micronutrients (Mi-1), using either soil (Mi-2) or foliar (Mi-3) applications. Treatments were applied every 18 days for one year. C. latifolia showed tolerance; however, HLB infection negatively affected growth parameters, photosynthetic activity, vascular bundle anatomy, reflectance at 550 and 790 nm, carbohydrate metabolism, and the concentration of salicylic acid and its biosynthetic precursors. The hormonal response showed higher levels of benzoic acid and lower levels of salicylic acid than those reported in susceptible citrus. Plants treated with low doses of macronutrients along with soil-applied micronutrients (Ma-1 + Mi-2) showed a 17.9% increase in growth, a 31.3% larger canopy volume, and an 83.3% reduction in starch accumulation compared to the treatment with high doses of macronutrients and both soil and foliar applied micronutrients (Ma-3 + Mi-3). These findings indicate that split soil fertilization with low-dose macronutrients and micronutrients might influence plant physiological responses, potentially improving disease management and decreasing fertilizer inputs.