Seasonality of nutrients in leaves and fruits of apple trees

Abstract

The nutrient accumulation curves of apple trees are good indicators of plant nutrient demand for each developmental stage. They are also a useful tool to evaluate orchard nutritional status and to estimate the amount of soil nutrient removal. This research aimed at evaluating the seasonality of nutrients in commercial apple orchards during the agricultural years of 1999, 2000, and 2001. Therefore, apple tree leaves and fruits of three cultivars 'Gala', 'Golden Delicious' and 'Fuji' were weekly collected and evaluated for fresh and dry matter, fruit diameter and macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and micronutrient (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) concentrations. Leaf and fruit sampling started one or two weeks after full bloom, depending on the cultivar, and ended at fruit harvest or four weeks later (in the case of leaf sampling). In general, leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Cu, and B decreased; Ca increased; and Mg, Fe, Mn, and Zn did vary significantly along the plant vegetative cycle. In fruits, the initial nutrient concentrations decreased quickly, undergoing slow and continuous decreases and then remaining almost constant until the end of fruit maturation, indicating nutrient dilution, once the total nutrient accumulation increased gradually with fruit growth. Potassium was the nutrient present in highest quantities in apple tree fruits and thus, the most removed from the soil. Key words: Malus domestica, macronutrients, micronutrients, accumulation SAZONALIDADE DE NUTRIENTES EM FOLHAS E FRUTOS DE MACIEIRARESUMO: As curvas de acúmulo de nutrientes pela macieira têm se mostrado como um bom parâmetro indicador da demanda da cultura em cada etapa de desenvolvimento, sendo importante para avaliar o estado nutricional do pomar e estimar a remoção de nutrientes do solo. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a sazonalidade de nutrientes na macieira, em pomares comerciais, durante as safras agrícolas de 1999, 2000 e 2001. Para tanto, amostras de folhas e frutos de três cultivares 'Gala', 'Golden Delicious' and 'Fuji' foram coletadas semanalmente e avaliadas quanto à massa fresca e seca, diâmetro dos frutos e concentrações de macronutrientes (N, P, K, Ca e Mg) e micronutrientes (B, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn). A amostragem de folhas e frutos teve início uma ou duas semanas após a plena floração, dependendo do cultivar, e prolongou-se até a colheita ou até quatro semanas depois, no caso da amostragem de folhas. Nas folhas, de modo geral, as concentrações de N, P, K, Cu e B diminuíram, a concentração de Ca aumentou e as concentrações de Mg, Fe, Mn e Zn pouco variaram ao longo do ciclo vegetativo da cultura. Nos frutos, inicialmente, as concentrações dos nutrientes diminuíram rapidamente e depois decresceram lenta e continuamente, chegando quase constantes à fase final da maturação, indicando diluição dos nutrientes, uma vez que a quantidade total de nutrientes acumulada aumentou gradativamente com o crescimento dos frutos. O potássio foi o nutriente presente em maior quantidade nos frutos de macieiras, tendo sido, portant...

DETERMINATION OF Pestalotiopsis sp. CAUSING DISEASE ON FRUIT CLUSTERS IN HAZELNUT GROWING AREAS OF ORDU, GİRESUN AND TRABZON PROVINCES IN TURKEY

“…The accumulation rate was identical for the two rootstocks; The K concentration still decreased from May until October. Our results were in agreement with Nachtigall and Dechen (2006), they found that the leaf K decreased along the vegetative growth cycle. Mengel and Kirkby (2001) explained that the mineral concentration is depending on the leaf status; young leaf tissues usually present lower water content and higher N, P and K concentrations, meanwhile older tissues are rich in Ca, Mn, Fe and B mainly.…”

“…Likewise, MM106 showed continuously decreasing until October. Potassium was the nutrient present in highest quantities in apple tree fruits and thus, the most removed from the soil (Nachtigall and Dechen, 2006). Faust (1989) stated that the most of K nutrient is accumulated in fruits, and in the absence of fruits it is stored in the leaves, and after harvest the total tree showed a reduction in the K content due to the fruit removal, which is in agreement with our results.…”

“…Somehow, the rate of P uptake by the two rootstocks was variable during the growth season; In seedling rootstock, the P content was continuously decreased until August which significantly revealed the lowest content (0.13%), to arise in September and October to decrease again in November, in MM 106 rootstock, the P content still decreased until July, then arise in August and September to decrease again in October and November which showed low concentration than seedling rootstock with significant variance in November (Table 2). In leaves, Seedling rootstock showed High significant concentration of P in May than MM106, also, the two rootstocks significantly revealed the highest concentration of P in May in the comparison with other growth months, then continuously decreased until July, which was in agreement with Nachtigall and Dechen (2006). P content increased again in August for MM106, and then decreased in September and October, while the seedling rootstock continued decreasing of P content until September to arise again in October.…”

“…In general, vegetative parts content of N, P, and K decreased along the apple tree vegetative cycle (Nachtigall and Dechen, 2006). …”

Composição mineral de maçãs 'Gala' e 'Fuji' produzidas no Sul do Brasil

“…A relação N/Ca não diferiu substancialmente entre as cultivares. Esses resultados diferem dos publicados por Nachtigall & Dechen (2006), que ao avaliar três safras em pomares experimentais de apenas um local (Vacaria, RS), não observaram diferenças significativas entre essas cultivares de maçã, quanto aos teores de Ca, P, K, Mg e N. As análises minerais do presente trabalho foram realizadas em amostras coletadas em pomares comerciais ao longo de mais de 15 safras, em diferentes regiões, e refletem os sistemas de nutrição e manejo dos pomares adotados comercialmente.…”