The Effect of Orchard Floor Management and Nitrogen Fertilization on Nutrient Uptake and Fruit Quality of ‘Golden Delicious’ Apple Trees

Abstract Mature ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees ( Malus domestica Borkh.) were subjected for 3 years to factorial combinations of 3 rates of N fertilization applied in April and 3 degrees of orchard floor management. Tree N nutrition was affected more by vegetation management than by rate of N fertilizer applied. Significant reduction in leaf N and trunk diameter, and superior fruit skin color and firmness at commercial harvest occurred consistently when the orchard floor was sod. Increased leaf N and reduced fruit skin color and firmness at harvest were measured at the highest N (180 kg N ha -1 ) in only 1 year while tree growth was not increased by this rate of N. Increased fruit Ca associated with smaller fruit and increased leaf Mg and leaf K were measured under sod in 2 of 3 years. Leaf Mn was affected only by rate of N fertilization and was consistently high at 180 kg N ha -1 .