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Effects of irregular cropping on nutrient uptake and status
of apple trees
Nagy, P.T.1, Szabó, Z.2, Soltész, M.2& Nyéki, J.2
1Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, University of Debrecen, Centre of Agricultural Sciences,
Faculty of Agronomy, Böszörményi u. 138. Debrecen, H-4032, Hungary,
2Institute for Research and Development, University of Debrecen, Centre of Agricultural Sciences, Debrecen,
Hungary
Summary: Produce of harmonic nutrient balance and status of trees is basic task of growers for qualified fruit growing. The role of crop
loaded is essential to grow the productivity of trees without nutrient disorder or other nutritional problems. To reduce the frequency of biennial
bearing there are some ways (site and species selection, crop regulation, irrigation, nutrition etc.) from them one is the best easy way the
proper site and species oriented nutrition. Sometimes the responsible for irregular cropping is the insufficient fertilization. Observed irregular
cropping at two apple cultivars (Malus domestica Borkh., cv. ‘Summerred’ and cv. ‘Mutsu’) in an integrated apple orchard at Hajdúnánás-
Tedej, in 2007 resulted a chance to determine nutritional status of “bearing” and “non bearing” trees and investigate the effects of irregular
cropping on nutrient uptake and possibilities of correction. Our results pointed out that irregularity is connection on nutrition status of trees.
Irregular cropping results in insufficient nutrient uptake and disharmony of nutrients. For this reason, the establishment of nutrient status of
“non bearing” trees is could permit a chance to correct and improve the nutrient supply of trees which help to breakdown the vicious circle of
irregularity.
International Journal of Horticultural Science 2010, 16 (1): 41–44.
Agroinform Publishing House, Budapest, Printed in Hungary
ISSN 1585-0404
Introduction
The phenomena and of course the problem of irregular
cropping is perhaps as old as fruit growing itself. Biennial
bearing, alternate bearing, alternate year cropping, irregular
bearing or cropping, periodicity in cropping, are all
synonymous terms which are different from the
unfruitfulness and shy cropping (Singh, 1972). Various
workers have tried to tackle this problem from different
angels but so far without any significant success.
Occasionally, certain fruit trees, mostly apples bear
heavily one year and sparsely the next. This is called
“biennial bearing.” In the last two decades, biennial bearing
habit was founded at pear (Göndör & Tóth, 1998), plum
(Keulemans, 1990) and mango cultivars (Chacko, 1991) as
well. The spring-flowering buds of most deciduous fruit trees
have actually been formed during the previous summer.
Therefore, an especially heavy crop one year may prevent
adequate flower bud formation for the following year
because the carbohydrates produced through photosynthesis
are used preferentially for fruit production during the “on”
year. Experimental evidence indicates that maturity of
terminal shoots and accumulation of carbohydrate in the
shoot apex are in some way associated with the synthesis of
the floral stimulus, the absence of which can result in lack of
flowering or biennial bearing in many mango cultivars
(Chacko, 1991).
It is clear from many papers and researches published that
the main reasons of biennial bearing are came from the
biological backgrounds of cultivars (hormonal and genetic
aspects). But it is also true that irregular bearing is strong
connection with nutritional status and vigor of trees. With
‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Granny Smith’, the incidence of
biennial bearing increased as rootstock vigor increased, but
with ‘Redchief Delicious’ biennial bearing declined as
rootstock vigor increased (Barritt et al., 1997). The
application of increasing amount of nitrogen increased both
nitrogen level in leaves and flower bud initiation at young
‘Red Delicious’ trees. In biennial bearing ‘Golden Delicious’
a positive relationship has been established between leaf
nitrogen and the ‘off year’ yield (Lalatta, 1980).
Rootstock and habit of trees has basic role in irregular
bearing. Trees of ‘Red Fuji’ on Mark and MM.111 have
shown little tendency towards biennial bearing, whereas on
M.9, M.26 and MM.106 (particularly) ‘Red Fuji’ trees have
had marked annual fluctuations in yield (James & Middleton,
2001). Similar results obtained (Jadczuk et al., 1998) which
indicated that type of root system plays an important role in
growth and productivity of sour cherry trees. Roles of
relation of shoot growth to bud initiation emphasized by
Key words: cropping, nutrient, apple
42
Couranjou, 1968. Janssen, 1969 also pointed out that there is
anegative correlation between the density of fruit setting
(yield of crop respectively) and the fruit diameter of apples.
A big crop gives small apples and vice versa. Furthermore
there is a negative influence on the yields of the next year
(biennial bearing) when the crop of this year exceeds a
certain limit (biennial bearing limit). This limit depends on
the individual situation of an orchard (apple varieties, soil
conditions, micro-climate, intensity of cultivation etc.).
Biennial bearing of fruit trees is difficult to alter or
correct. Moreover, cultivar’s biennial bearing habit was often
intensified unsatisfied nutritional conditions (Tukey, 1986).
Many authors pointed out that regulation of cropping (by
several different methods) is the base to solve problems of
irregular cropping (Lombard, 1982; Link, 1983; Helsen &
Deckers, 1984; Bower et al., 1990, Sergent et al., 1997;
Tojnko et al., 2001). Hence, crop regulation is the most
important measure to assure regular yields and optimal fruit
quality (Widmer et al., 2006).
Moreover, it is very hard task to estimate the fruit failure
which follows from biennial bearing, but its rate is growing
continuously year by year all over the world. This finding is
probably correlation with the growing rate of climatic
anomalies. Hence, the aim of this paper is to provide further
data about the phenomena of biennial bearing to get closer to
the solving.
Materials and methods
In 2007 irregular cropping was observed at two apple
cultivars (Malus domestica Borkh., cv. ‘Summerred’ and cv.
‘Mutsu’) in the integrated orchard of TEDEJ Rt.,
Hajdúnánás-Tedej, in Eastern Hungary.
The phenomenon of biennial bearing was appeared in
small plots, regarded some trees in the rows. Based on
orchard observation, investigation was carried out with these
cultivars to study the effects of irregular cropping on nutrient
uptake and status of trees.
Leaf samples were collected from “bearing” and “non
bearing” trees simultaneously, at full bloom and later at the
standard sampling time, according to Nagy et al. (2006).
The orchard was set up on lowland chernozem soil. It was
established in the autumn of 1999, using grafted on MM106
rootstocks at a spacing of 3.8 × 1.1 m. The orchard has been
treated according to the Integrated Fruit Production
guidelines.
The orchard was irrigated. Soil samples were taken from
three layers (0-20 cm; 20–40 cm and 40–60 cm) of each plot,
at the middle of the section by using manual soil sampling
equipment. For the characterisation of the soil the most
important soil parameters were determined. Sampling was
performed at the beginning of the vegetation period on
March, in 2008.
The soil samples were dried outdoors in an airy place in a
1–1.5 cm layer, then the soil was sieved through a sieve of
2mm hole size, homogenized and stored in plastic boxes
until the examination. For extracting the available
phosphorus and potassium content of soils, ammonium-
lactate extractant (so called AL soluble) was used. AL
soluble phosphorus was quantified by colorimetrically with
phospomolybdovanadate method, using a spectrophotometer
(Metertech VIS SP-850 Plus; Metertech Inc., Taipei,
Taiwan). The amount of potassium was quantified by flame
atom emission spectrophotometry method using an Unicam
SP90B Series 2 Atomic Absorption/Emission Spectro-
photometer (PYE Unicam, England).
Mineralized nitrogen contents of soil samples were
quantified according to Houba et al.,1986.
Soil pH, KA, H% and CaCO3content was determinated
according to Hungarian standards (MSZ 20135:1999).
For extracting the available Mg content of soil KCl+
EDTA extractant was used according to Hungarian soil
laboratory guidelines (MSZ 20135:1999).
Soil available Mg was quantified by flame atomic
absorption spectrophotometry, using a SpectrAA-10 Plus
spectrophotometer (Varian Australia Pty Ltd. Mulgrave,
Australia).
Leaf samples were dried outdoors in an airy place for a
week. After drying samples in a well-ventilated drying oven
at 70 °C, the whole sampled material was finely grounded
and homogenized. Samples were then stored in paper bags in
a dark and dry place until use. Before measuring samples
were put in desiccator to avoid rehydration.
Nitrogen content of plant samples was determined from
homogenized samples directly using the dry combustion
method according to Nagy 2000, using an Elementar Vario
EL analyser (Elementar Analysensysteme GmbH, Hanau,
Germany).
Plant phosphorus and potassium contents determine as
follows: homogenized leaf samples (0.5 g each sample) were
digested with cc. 5 ml H2SO4and 5 ml H2O2in a heating
block digestor, at 220 °C until full digestion.
Results and discussion
Soil analysis
As biennial bearing limit depends on the individual
situation of an orchard (varieties, soil conditions, micro-
climate, intensity of cultivation etc.) soil samples were taken
to establish nutrient supply ability of soil and estimate soil
conditions of orchard.
Obtained results of soil analysis are represented in Table 1.
The pH of soil was near the neutral value, slightly acidic.
The physical category of soil was clay loam. The soil P and
K was weak, while the soil N and Mg was adequate for fruit
growing. Besides conventional soil testing procedures,
0.01M CaCl2was used to give further information about the
easily soluble and available mineral N contents of soil.
From the easily soluble N forms the nitrate was
dominant. Measured values correspond to the type of
examined soil and decreased by depth. The micronutrient
contents of soil (data not showed) were medium.
Nagy, P.T., Szabó, Z., Soltész, M. & Nyéki, J.
Leaf analysis
Results of leaf analysis were showed in
Table 2–3. Leaves of non bearing trees
contained lower nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium in 2007 (Table 2). This result is
similarly to those published by Faust, 1989;
Buwalda and Lenz, 1992 and Sadowski et al.,
1995.
Leaves collected at full bloom from “non
bearing” trees contained lower phosphorous
but higher nitrogen and potassium in 2008.
Later, “non bearing” leaves collected at
standard sampling date contained higher
nitrogen and phosphorous than “bearing”
trees.
Leaf potassium was changed contrary,
depended on cultivars. K was higher in
leaves of “non bearing” ‘Mutsu’ trees but
lower in leaves of “non bearing” ‘Sum-
merred’ trees (Table 3). It is confirmed that
earlier finding that the absence of fruit has
not consequent effect on leaf K (Sadowski et
al., 1995).
Leaf N and P of “bearing” and “non
bearing” trees showed reversed tendency in
2007 and 2008. It explained by the shifted
vegetative-generative balance of trees,
affected the irregular cropping. In “off” year
the vegetative processes become dominant,
the trees are more vigorous than in “on” year.
Leaves of “non bearing” trees (left) are larger
and well developed than leaves of “bearing”
trees (Figure 1). Shoot growing is more
intensive and the foliage is more developed at
“non bearing” trees. The lack of generative
organ resulted disturbance in nutrient uptake
also.
Conclusion
Our results pointed out that irregularity
is connection on nutrition status of trees.
Irregular cropping results in insufficient
nutrient uptake and disharmony of
nutrients. For this reason, the establishment
of nutrient status of “non bearing” trees is
could permit a chance to correct and
improve the nutrient supply of trees which
help to breakdown the vicious circle of
irregularity. Timely observation of effects
of “biennial bearing” on nutrient uptake
(e.g. crop loaded of trees, continuously
establishment of nutrient status of tree) is
growing the chance of adequate intervene
and early correction.
Effects of irregular cropping on nutrient uptake and status of apple trees 43
Figure 1. Leaves of “Non bearing” ‘Summerred’ trees (left) and “Bearing” ‘Summerred’ trees
(right)
Table 2. Results of leaf analysis (2007)
Table 3. Results of leaf analysis (2008)
Table 1. Results of soil analysis
Depth (cm)
Parameters 0–20 20–40 40–60 0–60
Humusz % 2.75 2.23 2.05 2.34
KA 43
pH (KCl) 6.46 6.24 6.31 6.34
CaCO3 (%) <0.1 <0.1 0.5 0.5
P2O5(mg/kg) (AL) 164.11 89.12 42.7 98.64
K2O (mg/kg) (AL) 250.44 160.69 98.65 169.93
NO3
––N (mg/kg) (0.01 M CaCl2) 13.05 8.29 5.25 8.86
NH4
+–N (mg/kg) (0.01 M CaCl2) 1.05 0.76 0.19 0.67
Mg (mg/kg) (0.01 M CaCl2) 188 164 155 169
44
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