Organomineral fertilization on the chemical characteristics of Quartzarenic Neosol cultivated with olive tree

•We evaluate the chemical characteristics of Quartzarenic Neosol cultivated with olive tree.•Levels of nutrients in leaves of olive trees maintain with less chemical fertilizer.•We reduced the levels of mineral fertilization applying organomineral fertilizer.•The chemical characteristics of the soil improved with the organomineral application.•The organomineral fertilization is an excellent alternative to olive trees.

Research was carried out to evaluate the chemical characteristics of Quartzarenic Neosol cultivated with olive tree (Olea europaea L.) using organomineral fertilization and reduced amounts of chemical fertilization. Three-year-old olive trees of the variety ‘Grappolo 541’ were planted with a spacing of three meters between plants and five meters between rows in the area studied. The four treatments were 100%, 75%, 50% and 0% of the mineral fertilizer recommended for olive tree in a randomized block design with five replications and three plants per plot. The split-plot scheme was used, with four fertilization treatments in plot and sub-plot evaluation times. The organomineral fertilizer was applied to all plants in November 2011 and October 2012. Soil samples were taken before fertilization (November 2011) and after fertilization (July 2012 and June 2013). The data were subjected to an analysis of variance and regression with p < 0.05. The chemical characteristics of the soil improved with organomineral application and reduction of the chemical fertilizer to 50%. Organomineral fertilization is an excellent alternative for olive trees cultivated in Quartzarenic Neosol.