Comparison of Sampling Methods for the Determination of Seasonal Changes in the Nutrient Content of Apple Leaves1

Abstract

Abstract In studies of seasonal trends in apple leaf nutrients, 5 different seasonal leaf sampling methods using the same shoots of young and old apple trees have been compared with a sampling of mid-shoot leaves on different shoots each sampling date to determine whether there would be any differences in leaf P, K, Ca and Mg trends. Sampling methods resulted in significant interaction with the check only in data for leaf concentration of Ca. The methods which were compared with the check had average seasonal leaf concentrations of P, K, Ca and Mg which differed significantly from the check in a few instances. They also produced slightly to considerably lower coefficients of variation than the check in 78 of 100 possible comparisons. This makes such methods very desirable as alternative sampling procedures where they do not otherwise vary from the standard.