Nutrient distribution and requirement of 'Forelle'pear trees on two rootstocks
Date
2005-04
Authors
Stassen, P. J. C.
North, M. S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Society for Horticultural Science -- ISHS
Abstract
Accurate water and fertilizer management are essential in modern high
intensity orchard systems to enable the manipulation of both reproductive and
vegetative development. Studies have been conducted to establish the annual plant
fertilization requirements, of several tree crops but there exists little information
regarding the requirements of pear trees on rootstocks of differing vigour. Nine-
year-old ‘Forelle’ pear trees in a commercial orchard on either vigorous, BP1 or
dwarfing, Quince A (QA) rootstocks were completely removed from the soil and
divided into various tree parts (roots, stems, leaves, shoots and fruit), each part
massed, milled and a mineral analysis conducted. Annual requirements of the nine-
year-old trees for macro- (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and micro- elements (Mn, Fe, Cu,
Zn, B) were determined by calculating losses and fixation and their requirements
expressed in g or mg element/kg yield respectively. ‘Forelle’ on the more vigorous
BP1 shows higher requirements than the more dwarfing QA rootstock mainly
because of the higher mass of summer and winter wood removed as prunings as well
as a higher mass of young shoots. From these results, and with due consideration
given to various production differences, annual minimum and maximum
fertilization guidelines based on the yield have been determined.
Description
The original publication is available at http://www.actahort.org/books/671/671_70.htm
Keywords
Pear trees -- Fertilization, Pears -- Macro- and micro-element distribution, Pears -- Rootstocks
Citation
Stassen, P. J. C. & North, M. S. 2005. Nutrient distribution and requirement of 'Forelle'pear trees on two rootstocks. Acta Hort. (ISHS), 671:493-500.