Calcium, Boron and Zinc Nutrition of Apples G.H. Neilsen, D. Neilsen and E.J. Hogue L. Herbert, S. Kuchta and B. Rabie Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre Summerland, B.C., Canada, V0H 1Z0
Changes in production systems 2
Changes in cultivars Gala Fuji Braeburn Ambrosia Cameo Silken 3
Ca related disorders 4
Bitter Pit - Honeycrisp 5
Bitter Pit - Spartan 6
Bitter Pit - Braeburn 7
Bitter Pit 8
Preparation of apple tissue for mineral analysis Washing and drying fruit in preparation for chopping 9
Chopping fruit, removing seeds and weighing sample 10
Loading freeze-drier and grinding freeze-dried samples 11
Diluting samples and analysis by atomic absorption spectrometry 12
Fruit Ca concentration (n=30, McIntosh) 12 Average fru uit Ca (mg/100g FW) 10 8 6 4 2 1989 1990 0 9 6 3 H Weeks before commercial harvest (H) 13
Fruit size (n=30, McIntosh) 250 size (g) Average fruit 200 150 100 50 1989 1990 0 9 6 3 H Weeks before commercial harvest (H) 14
Absolute Ca uptake (n=30, McIntosh) 10 Absolute uptake (mg Ca a/fruit) 8 6 4 2 1989 1990 0 9 6 3 H Weeks before commercial harvest (H) 15
Factors associated with fruit storage quality Positive 1. Fruit Ca concentration Negative 1. Large fruit size 2. High fruit K/Ca 3. High fruit K (Spartan) 16
Critical Ca concentrations Harvest 4.0 mg/100g FW 6 weeks prior to harvest 8.5 mg/100g FW (McIntosh) 10.0 mg/100g FW (Spartan) 9.5 mg/100g FW (G. Delicious) 17
Cultivar affects fruit Ca (2003, same block, trt) Ambrosia Cameo Gala Fuji Silken Harvest Fruit Ca (mg/100g FW) 5.55 b 3.56 e 6.52 a 4.69 c 3.89 d 18
Management of Ca nutrition Ca Intervention 1. Soil application 2. Foliar sprays 19
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Spartan Fruit Ca (ppm dw) (6 tons/ha) 1975 1977 1979 Hydrated lime 210 237 181 Calcium sulphate 209 244 192 Check 211 231 178 NS NS NS 21
Braeburn Fruit Ca Fruit Ca (mg/100g FW) Bitter Pit (%) 2002 2003 2002 2003 Soil Ca thiosulphate (105 g/tree) 3.4 3.5 12 36 Check 3.5 3.2 10 24 NS NS NS NS 22
Jonagold/McIntosh Fruit Ca Fertigated N Fruit Ca (mg/100g FW) (57 g N/tree) Yr 2 Yr 3 Urea (46) 6.2b 4.2 Ammonium nitrate (34) 5.3b 4.1 Calcium nitrate (15.5) 7.5a 4.4 ** NS 23
Current Production Recommendations Calcium - Apple * CaCl 2 compounds * 4 5 sprays * 10 day intervals (mid July) * 0.5% w/v; 8 12 kg/ha 24
Typical Ca inflow into fruit 12 10 Stage one Recommended Ca sprays Ca (mg/fr ruit) 8 6 4 2 Gala Spartan Fuji 0 150 170 190 210 230 250 270 290 J J A S O Day of the Year 25
Timing of Ca sprays in a Braeburn orchard 26
Ca Spray Timing (2001-2003) Clorclear (0.5% w/v) (34.5% Ca as CaCl 2 ) Early Mid Late 5 weekly (wk1 Jun - wk1 Jul) 5 weekly (wk1 Jul - wk2 Aug) 5 weekly (wk2 Aug - wk2 Sep) 27
Harvest Fruit Ca concentration (mg/100g FW) 2001 2002 2003 Check 3.6 b 3.4 d 3.5 Early 3.3 bc 3.7cd 3.4 Mid 4.2 a 4.9 b 3.3 Late 4.4 a 5.7 a 3.8 **** **** NS 28
Bitter Pit (%) 2001 2002 2003 Check 2 b 12 a 36 a Early 0 b 0 c 6 d Mid 0 b 0 c 9 cd Late 3 b 2 bc 15 bcd * ** ** 29
Braeburn Fruit Ca in response to Ca form (mg/100gfw) 1996 1997 1998 1. Check 4.16c 3.29b 3.64b 2. CaCl 2 5.80a 4.49a 5.04a 3. Nutrical 4.71b 4.12a - 4. Calcimax 4.08c - - Number sprays 6 4 5 30
Bitter Pit CaCO 3 suspension 2001 2002 2003 Check 2b 12a 36a CaCO 3 susp. 15a 8ab 26ab 31
Boron (B) 32
Boron deficiency Blossom blast Surface cracking 33
Survey of N,P fertigated high density orchards (1993 n=19) Nutrient deficient orchards B, Zn > 50% Mg*, Cu > 25% K > 10% N, P, Ca, S, Mn, Fe none 34
Soil B is affected by soil texture Soil B (p ppm) 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 Measured 30cm beneath drip emitter 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 Sand (%) 35
Soil solution B concentration in response to fertigation Soil solution B (ppm) End Start End 2.00 (Jul 20) (May 23) (Jul 29) 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 1995 1996 Day of the year 0.336 g Boron/tree/year Background 36
Leaf B concentration in apple in response to application method Leaf B (ppm) 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 Gala Fuji Fiesta Spartan No B applied a b c d a a b b B sprayed 0.336 g B/tree/year a b a b B fertigated a b a b 0.175 g B/tree/year a b c b a b c b 0 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Year 37
Summary B behaves very much like nitrate in coarse textured soils B can quickly become depleted under irrigation but can be augmented by either broadcast or fertigated soil applications or foliar sprays Care must be taken not to over-supply B 38
Zinc (Zn) 39
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MINUS ZINC CHECK 41
Zn deficiency - Peach 42
Zn deficiency - Apple 43
Leaf Zn concentration in apple in response to application method Leaf Zn (pp pm) 50 40 30 20 Gala Fuji Fiesta Spartan Total fertigated Zn = 91 kg/ha Zn sprayed Zn fertigated (g/tree/year) No Zn applied 3.5 7.0 a ab b c a a a a a a a b a b a c a b a c 17.5 a a a b 10 0 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Year 44
Zn-spray experiment (Gabelman) Trt Zn-Form Application rate Check 0 0 Early Dormant Zn SO 4 (36%) 4.5g/L Postharvest Zn SO 4 (36%) 2.6g/L 45
Average leaf chlorosis* (Gabelman) Trt Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Check 2.50a 2.50a 2.50 Early Dormant 0.88bc 1.13cd 2.00 Postharvest 2.13abc 1.50bcd 2.00 Significance ** ** ns * none(0), slight(1) to severe(3) 46
Zn spray experiment (Jonagold/M.9) Jonagold/M.9 47
Average leaf Zn (ppm, unsprayed leaves, Jonagold) Trts* 2001 2002 Check (no Zn) 12.3 11.3 Tight cluster (1) 12.9 12.4 Post petal fall (2x) 13.2 13.7 Post petal fall (4x) 10.9 13.1 Significance ns ns * 500ppm Zn L-133 (organic Zn) 48
Fruit Zn (mg/100g FW, washed, peeled) Trts 2001 2002 Check.011c.009d Tight cluster (1).013de.009d Post petal fall (2x).017cd.013c Post petal fall (4x).019bc.017b Significance **** **** 49
Cumulative yield (2001-2002) Trts Fruit Kg/tree n/tree AverageSize(g) Check 14.8 49.3 297 Tight cluster (1) 16.7 55.8 306 Post petal fall (2x) 17.6 52.9 329 Post petal fall (4x) 15.7 51.0 310 Significance ns ns ns 50
Thank you 51