Calcium, Boron and Zinc Nutrition of ApplesG.H. Neilsen, D. Neilsen and E.J. Hogue

L. Herbert, S. Kuchta and B. Rabie

Pacific Agri-Food Research CentreSummerland, B.C., Canada, V0H 1Z0

2

Changes in production systems

3

GalaGala FujiFuji BraeburnBraeburn

CameoCameoAmbrosiaAmbrosia SilkenSilken

Changes in cultivars

4

Ca related disorders

5

Bitter Pit - Honeycrisp

6

Bitter Pit - Spartan

7

Bitter Pit - Braeburn

8

Bitter Pit

9

Preparation of apple tissue for mineral analysis

Washing and drying fruit in preparation for chopping

10

Chopping fruit, removing seeds and weighing sample

11

Loading freeze-drier and grinding freeze-dried samples

12

Diluting samples and analysis by atomic absorption spectrometry

13

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

9 6 3 H

Weeks before commercial harvest (H)

1989

1990Ave

rage

frui

t Ca

(mg/

100g

FW

)

Fruit Ca concentration (n=30, McIntosh)

14

0

50

100

150

200

250

9 6 3 H

Weeks before commercial harvest (H)

1989

1990

Ave

rage

frui

t siz

e (g

)Fruit size (n=30, McIntosh)

15

0

2

4

6

8

10

9 6 3 H

Weeks before commercial harvest (H)

Abs

olut

e up

take

(m

g C

a/fru

it)

1989

1990

Absolute Ca uptake (n=30, McIntosh)

16

Factors associated with fruit storage quality

Positive1. Fruit Ca concentration

Negative1. Large fruit size2. High fruit K/Ca3. High fruit K (Spartan)

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• 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)

Critical Ca concentrations

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Harvest Fruit Ca (mg/100g FW)

Ambrosia 5.55 b

Cameo 3.56 e

Gala 6.52 a

Fuji 4.69 c

Silken 3.89 d

Cultivar affects fruit Ca (2003, same block, trt)

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Management of Ca nutrition

Ca Intervention1. Soil application2. Foliar sprays

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21

(6 tons/ha) 1975 1977 1979

Hydrated lime 210 237 181

Calcium sulphate 209 244 192

Check 211 231 178

NS NS NS

Spartan Fruit Ca (ppm dw)

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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

Fruit Ca (mg/100g FW)

Bitter Pit (%)

Braeburn Fruit Ca

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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

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Current Production Recommendations Calcium - Apple

* CaCl2 compounds* 4 – 5 sprays* 10 day intervals (mid July)* 0.5% w/v; 8 – 12 kg/ha

25

150 170 190 210 230 250 270 290

Day of the Year

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Ca

(mg/

fruit)

J J A S O

GalaSpartanFuji

StageStageoneone

Recommended Ca sprays

Typical Ca inflow into fruit

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Timing of Ca sprays in a Braeburn orchard

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Clorclear (0.5% w/v)

(34.5% Ca as CaCl2 )

Early 5 weekly (wk1 Jun - wk1 Jul)

Mid 5 weekly (wk1 Jul - wk2 Aug)

Late 5 weekly (wk2 Aug - wk2 Sep)

Ca Spray Timing (2001-2003)

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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

Harvest Fruit Ca concentration (mg/100g FW)

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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

* ** **

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Braeburn Fruit Ca in response to Ca form (mg/100gFW)

1996 1997 1998

1. Check 4.16c 3.29b 3.64b

2. CaCl2 5.80a 4.49a 5.04a

3. Nutrical 4.71b 4.12a -

4. Calcimax 4.08c - -

Number sprays 6 4 5

31

2001 2002 2003

Check 2b 12a 36a

CaCO3 susp. 15a 8ab 26ab

Bitter Pit CaCO3 suspension

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Boron (B)

33

Surface cracking

Blossom blast

Boron deficiency

34

Nutrient deficient orchards(1993 n=19)

B, ZnMg*, CuKN, P, Ca, S, Mn, Fe

> 50%> 25%> 10%none

Survey of N,P fertigated high density orchards

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0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

0 20 40 60 80 100Sand (%)

Soi

l B (p

pm)

Measured 30cm beneath drip emitter

Soil B is affected by soil texture

36

Day of the year

0.336 g Boron/tree/yearBackground

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

Soi

l sol

utio

n B

(ppm

)

End(Jul 29)

Start(May 23)

1995 1996

End

(Jul 20)

Soil solution B concentration in response to fertigation

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a b c da a b b

a b a ba b c b

a b c b

a b a b

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998Year

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Leaf

B (p

pm)

GalaFujiFiestaSpartan

No B applied0.336 g

B/tree/year

B sprayedB fertigated

0.175 gB/tree/year

Leaf B concentration in apple in response to application method

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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

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Zinc (Zn)

40

41CHECKCHECKMINUS ZINCMINUS ZINC

42

Zn deficiency - Peach

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Zn deficiency - Apple

44

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998Year

0

10

20

30

40

50

Leaf

Zn

(ppm

)

GalaFujiFiestaSpartan

No Zn applied

Zn fertigated(g/tree/year)

Zn sprayed

3.5 7.0

a ab b c a a a a a a a ba b a c

a a a ba b a c

17.5

Total fertigated Zn = 91 kg/ha

Leaf Zn concentration in apple in response to application method

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Trt Zn-Form Application rate

Check 0 0

Early Dormant Zn SO4 (36%) 4.5g/L

Postharvest Zn SO4 (36%) 2.6g/L

Zn-spray experiment (Gabelman)

46

TrtTrt Yr 1Yr 1 Yr 2Yr 2 Yr 3Yr 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)

Average leaf chlorosis* (Gabelman)

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Zn spray experiment (Jonagold/M.9)

Jonagold/M.9

48* 500ppm Zn L-133 (organic Zn)

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

Average leaf Zn (ppm, unsprayed leaves, Jonagold)

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TrtsTrts 20012001 20022002Check .011c .009d

Tight cluster (1) .013de .009d

Post petal fall (2x) .017cd .013c

Post petal fall (4x) .019bc .017b

Significance **** ****

Fruit Zn (mg/100g FW, washed, peeled)

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TrtsTrts FruitFruit

Kg/treeKg/tree n/treen/tree AverageSize(g)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

Cumulative yield (2001-2002)

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