Key Agronomic Fertilization Practices That Influence Yield of Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.) in the Ecuadorian Amazon

An application of a balanced nutrition will improve the soil as well as enhance the yield of naranjilla (Solanum quitoense Lam.) grown in the Ecuadorian Amazon. A field experiment was carried out in Palora, 16 de Agosto (Morona Santiago province) and Fatima (Pastaza province) to find which variables are related with the yield of the naranjilla crop and the yield response when the crop receives complete nutrition with N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S plus lime and with the omission of each of these nutrients. A Random Complete Block Design with three replications was used in the three environments. The naranjilla crop had higher yields (18.14 Mg ha(-1)) in the complete treatments (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S) and without S and Mg, consequently, these two last nutrients did not limit the production. When N, P, K, and Ca were not applied, the yields fell to 14.62 Mg ha(-1). The main environmental effect showed that Palora had the highest fruit yields (19.73 Mg ha(-1)), followed by 16 de Agosto (13.57 Mg ha(-1)) and finally Fatima with 11.04 (Mg ha(-1)). These preliminary results showed that with the treatments without S (18.55 Mg ha(-1)), without Mg (18.42 Mg ha(-1)) and complete (17.46 Mg ha(-1)) the highest yields were obtained, consequently, the production was not affected by the absence of these elements; the opposite happened when N, P, K, and Ca were not present.