Articles
EFFECT OF NUTRITION AND SEVERITY OF PRUNING ON PEACHES
A small number of shoots makes it possible to select stronger, more uniform and better located shoots on the main scafold branches.
In case of lesser number of shoots on the trees, the nutrients available were used more productively since fruit thinning removes large amounts of nutrients so necessary for the growth of the shoots.
Two hundred shoots per tree were sufficient to give a good yield with fruits of high quality when each tree received 180 grams of nitrogen ground application.
The fertilizers were applied in three doses, and in the form of ammonium sulphate during March, and as ammonium nitrate during April and May.
The data obtained indicated an increase in yield reached about 18 % as an average for the two years of the study.
Length and diameter of shoots, as well as the number of leaves per shoot were increased on the trees treated with the highest level of nitrogen, and pruned to 200 shoots per tree.
Nitrogen content in the leaves was also more obvious as the level of nitrogen applied increased.
The weight of fruits was enhanced, and the quality was improved with reducing the number of fruiting shoots per tree and increasing the rate of nitrogen applied.