Lithium Toxicity in ‘Marsh’ Grapefruit in Arizona1

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Abstract
Surveys were made of Li in leaves, irrigation water and soil in groves of 37 to 43 year old ‘Marsh’ grapefruit on sour orange rootstock. Lithium in leaves increased during the late summer. Leaves with 50 to 60 ppm Li in September generally developed necrotic lesions on margins below the tip in November when they contained 60 to 90 ppm Li and abscissed within 1 to 4 months. Lithium varied widely between spring-cycle leaves on the same tree and within the leaf where it accumulated in the lesions. Severe Li toxicity symptoms were associated with 0.18 to 0.25 ppm Li in the irrigation water, 0.7 to 1.0 ppm in the soil and from 68 to 232 ppm in spring-cycle leaves in November. Vigorous growth and high yields occurred with 24 to 34 ppm Li in the leaves, 0.07 to 0.11 ppm Li in the irrigation water and 0.3 to 0.4 ppm in the soil. Severe leaf symptoms with Li content as high as 175 ppm were induced by soil applications of LiCl under field conditions.

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