Levels and seasonal patterns of selected essential macro and micronutrients in commercial avocado varieties and soil nutrient status of avocado farms at Mojo and Melkassa sites, Ethiopia

Avocado fruit is rich in essential nutrients, highly productive, and are recommended for combating malnutrition. This study focuses on the levels of essential macro- and micronutrients, seasonal patterns in commercial avocado varieties, and the soil nutrient status of avocado farms in Mojo and Melkassa, Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from commercial avocado farms in Mojo, and avocado leaf samples from the Hass, Fuerte, and Ettinger varieties were collected from both Mojo and the Melkassa Agricultural Research Center. The soil analysis from the Mojo avocado fields revealed high CEC (31.05–38.40 meq/100 g soil), a neutral to alkaline pH (7.49–7.78), low TN (0.06–0.10%), low to medium OC content (0.67–1.59%), medium Cu and Mn levels (0.67 ppm–0.85 ppm and 1.27 ppm–2.02 ppm, respectively), and very low Fe and Zn levels (0 ppm and 0.10 ppm–0.34 ppm, respectively). The concentration of nitrogen in the leaf tissue of the Hass variety at the Mojo site generally decreased from February to July but was consistent at the MARC site. Among the three avocado varieties (Hass, Fuerte, and Ettinger), the Hass variety exhibited the highest nitrogen levels, followed by Fuerte and Ettinger. The Pearson correlation analysis of avocado leaves reveals synergistic relationships between Mn, Cu, and Ca, as well as antagonistic interactions between TN and Zn and competition between Zn and Fe offering insights for optimizing nutrient management and promoting healthy avocado growth.