Abstract

With pot-grown 4-year-old 'Fuyu' persimmon trees, this study evaluated the effect of different nitrogen (N) rates during summer on fruit characteristics, changes of leaf nutrients after harvest, reserve accumulation, and early growth the following year. A total of 0, 36 g N in June, and 72 g N in June and July was fertigated to each tree using urea solution. All the fruits were harvested on Nov. 3. Although not significant, fruits were larger for the 36 g and 72 g N than the 0 g N. Fruits for the 0 g N, having lower N concentration, were softer and had a better coloration and higher soluble solids, indicating that they matured earlier. SPAD value on Nov. 3 was 19.2 for the 0 g N and 54.9 for the 72 g N, and then the values linearly decreased in all the treatments by Nov. 14, exhibiting rapid leaf senescence. Specific leaf weight, being the lowest for the 0 g N, also gradually decreased during this period. Increasing N level significantly increased cross-sectional area of the trunk. Leaf N concentration on Nov. 3 was 0.87% for the 0 g N, whereas it was 1.18 and 1.52% for the 36 g and 72 g N, respectively. The N fertigation tended to increase leaf concentrations of soluble sugars, starch, and amino acids. Contents of N, P, K, soluble sugars, starch, and amino acids per unit leaf area gradually decreased in all the treatments during the 11 days after harvest, and the extent of the decrease was the lowest for the 0 g N. On the other hand, those of Ca, Mg, and protein did not consistently change during this period. The N fertigation resulted in higher concentrations of N in dormant shoots on Nov. 14, and although not great, it also increased soluble sugars, starch, amino acids, and protein. Clear differences were found in number of flower buds per one-year-old branch and total shoot length per tree the following year. The 72 g N trees had 5.6-fold more flower buds and 1.9-fold more shoot length, compared with those of 0 g N trees. However, it was noted that tree growth the following year was not significantly different between the 36 g and 72 g N the previous year. It was concluded that N rate during summer should be adjusted with considering the changes of fruit maturation, mobilization of leaf nutrients, and reserve accumulation.

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