(124) The Impact of Nitrogen Application on Nonstructural Carbohydrate Production in Cranberry Leaves

Abstract

Five fertilizer treatments were applied to a `Stevens' cranberry bed in a 3-way split application (roughneck, 75% bloom, and 3 weeks after bloom) in Spring 2004 at State Bog in E. Wareham, Mass. Nitrogen rates were 0, 22, 45, 67, and 90 kg/ha; P was applied at 22 kg/ha, and K at 44 kg/ha. At mid-fruit development and again at preharvest, 20 vegetative and 20 fruiting uprights were collected from each plot in mid-morning. The N concentration per upright increased linearly with increased N application. Increased upright N concentration had no effect on soluble carbohydrate (sucrose + glucose + fructose) concentration, but decreased starch concentration, more so in vegetative uprights than in fruiting uprights on both sampling dates. Total nonstructural carbohydrate concentration (TNSC) was negatively impacted by increased N in vegetative and fruiting uprights at mid-fruit development, but N did not impact TNSC in either type of upright by harvest. Vegetative uprights contained greater concentrations of N, soluble carbohydrates, starch, and TNSC at both sampling dates, but contained lower concentrations of chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B.