THE INFLUENCE OF FERTILIZATION ON THE LEAF AND SOIL CONTENT OF NUTRIENT ELEMENTS, GROWTH AND YIELD OF CORTLAND APPLE TREES

The experiment was conducted since 1982 till 1987. Cortland apple trees on M 26 rootstock were planted in autumn 1979 on grey-brown podsolic soil developed of postglacial clay which is assigned to class III b according to the Polish soil valuation system.
The trees were spaced at 5×3 m (667 trees per ha).

In the experiment fifteen treatments consisting of combinations of different doses of N, P, K and Mg fertilization were compared in randomized block design, in 8 replications.
Different fertilizer treatments were applied since spring 1982, i.e.in the third year after planting, and they were repeated every year till 1987. Evaluation of the effectivity of different fertilization was executed on the basis of: a) chemical analysis of soil and leaves, b) tree growth expressed as the increment of stem diameter, number of shoots, their total length and mean shoot length, c) total yield per tree.

Fertilization with different doses distinctly influenced the increase of available nutrient elements in the leaves.
The content of nitrogen, potassium and calcium in the leaves was very variable during the years of studies which was not true in the case of phosphorus and magnesium.

Fertilization in the first six years of fruiting did not affect the intensity of growth, blooming, fruit set and yielding of Cortland apple trees on M 26 rootstock.

International Symposium on Diagnosis of Nutritional Status of Deciduous Fruit Orchards

E. Pacholak

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.274.46