Abstract: Abstract: 【Objective】The present study investigated the physical and chemical properties of soil in a navel orange orchard from different planting years. This was done to obtain data to form a theoretical basis for making informed fertilization management decisions. 【Method】Six treatments were examined: control plantation(unplanted), and land 2 years, 4 years, 9 years, 15 years and 23 years after planting. Soil samples were collected in each plot at three depths(0-20 cm, ≥20-40 cm and ≥40-60 cm), which were then used for analyses of soil physical and chemical characteristics, including physical clay content, bulk density, 20 cm soil water storage capacity, content of soil organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, total nitrogen as well as total phosphorus, and pH. 【Result】The influence of navel orange planting years on soil volume and water storage was not significant. The soil layer exerted significant effects on soil bulk density and water storage capacity(P < 0.001), both of which increased with the soil layer depth. The navel orange planting years, soil layers and their interactions exerted significant influences on soil physical clay content(P < 0.001). The soil physical clay content of top soil from 2-and 4-year plantations was significantly lower than that of control plantations(P < 0.05). However, the soil physical clay content from 23-year plantations was significantly higher than that of control plantations(P < 0.05). In addition, no obvious trends in differences in subsoil physical clay content among different plantations were found in this study. The navel orange planting years, soil layers, and their interactions had significant influences on soil chemical properties(P < 0.001). The middle layer soil pH in navel orange plantations was significantly lower than that in control plantations, and the subsoil pH decreased as the depth of the soil layer. The content of soil organic matter, available phosphorus, total nitrogen and total phosphorus in 15-year plantations were significantly higher than those in all other plantations(P < 0.05), and the content of available nitrogen was the highest in 23-year plantations. The content of soil organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus were positively correlated with physical clay content, and negatively correlated with bulk density, water storage capacity and pH. 【Conclusion】Navel orange plantation age had a profound impact on soil physicochemical properties. Soil pH decreased, and physical clay content of the surface soil first decreased and then increased, with increasing years of planting. Soil fertility of 15-year plantations was significantly higher than that in all other plantations.