EFFECT OF NITROGEN SOURCES ON GROWTH, YIELD AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF APPLE (Malus × domestica Borkh.) CV. OREGON SPUR
Loading...
Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present studies were carried out in a private orchard at Matiana (Shimla) during the year 2014-2015. Five years old trees of uniform size and vigour planted at 3.0 x 3.5 m spacing were subjected to 10 treatments viz. calcium nitrate (2.25 kg), urea (760 g), calcium nitrate + urea (1.125kg and 380g), NPK mixture 12:32:16 and calcium nitrate (550g and 1.830kg), N:P:K mixture 12:32:16 and urea (550g and 620g), Di-ammonium phosphate and calcium nitrate (380g and 1.820kg), di-ammonium phosphate and urea (380g and 620g), NPK mixture 12:32:16 and calcium nitrate + urea (550g and 920g + 310g), diammonium phosphate and calcium nitrate + urea (380g and 910g + 310g), calcium ammonium nitrate/control (1.4 kg). The treatments were replicated thrice and experiment was laid out in randomized block design. Tree height, spread, volume, leaf area, annual shoot growth and chlorophyll content were significantly increased by calcium nitrate + urea application, however, combination of di-ammonium phosphate and urea resulted in lowest vegetative growth attributes. The calcium nitrate + urea treatment also had significantly improved fruit set, yield and yield efficiency and reduced fruit drop. Trees subjected to calcium nitrate + urea treatment exhibited significantly higher fruit weight, total soluble solids, total and reducing sugars and lowest titratable acidity. However, maximum fruit length and anthocyanin content were observed with calcium ammonium nitrate and fruit diameter as well as firmness with the application of calcium nitrate. The maximum leaf N, K and Mg contents were recorded in calcium nitrate + urea treatment but leaf P and Ca were observed highest in trees treated with combination of di-ammonium phosphate and calcium nitrate and calcium nitrate, respectively. Soil pH, EC and OC were not influenced by various nitrogen sources, however, significantly higher soil N and K were recorded under calcium nitrate + urea treatment but maximum soil P was observed with di-ammonium phosphate and calcium nitrate application.
Description
Keywords
inorganic acid salts, calcium, organic compounds, fruits, nitrogen, fertilizers, apples, yields, biological development, biological phenomena, Matiana (Shimla),vigour planted ,