EFFECTS OF CHRONIC SHADE AND FOLIAR NUTRIENT SPRAYS ON APPLE SPUR VIGOR AND PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Eleven year-old Empire/M.7 apple trees were shaded continously for 4 years with half-tree shading cages. Shading reduced primary spur leaf duration, bourse shoot leaf area, specific leaf weight, spur diameter and bud diameter. Over the four years, shaded spurs continued to increase in length but spur diameter increased very little resulting in long and brittle spurs. However, shaded spurs continued to flower and set fruit. Leaf area development was similar inside and outside the cages at one week after bloom but by 2 weeks after bloom, spurs inside the cages had significantly lower leaf area. Shading reduced fruit set, fruit size, fruit color, fruit soluble solids and fruit dry matter. Fruit growth rate was reduced by shading early in the season but was no different than the unshaded controls by 4 weeks after full bloom.In an attempt to reverse the negative effects of shading on spur vigor, foliar urea, zinc-EDTA and solubor were sprayed 3 times during the early growing season each year. Rather than increasing spur leaf area, foliar nutrient sprays significantly reduced bourse shoot leaf area and did not increase the duration of primary spur leaves. Although foliar nutrients reduced total spur leaf area, they improved fruit size, color and soluble solids slightly.