Efficiency of mineral and organomineral fertiliser systems for column-like apple trees on sod-podzolic soil

Abstract

Currently, biologized systems of land use and cultivation of agricultural crops based on the application of biological methods of plant protection, organic and organomineral fertilizer systems are becoming more widespread in various branches of crop production, including industrial horticulture. At present, in various fields of crop research, including industrial horticulture, biological land use and cropping systems based on biological plant protection methods, organic and organomineral fertiliser systems, have increasingly been used. The fertilisation of the column-like apple tree, dramatically different in its parameters and characteristics of physiological development from the apple tree with a conventional crown, has been insufficiently studied. The specific biological fertiliser systems for column-like apple trees should be developed. It is necessary to define doses, forms, periods, methods of mineral and organic fertiliser application into particular soil and weather conditions of cultivation, which will ensure stable fruiting of column-like varieties, high performance of plants, commercial and consumer qualities and environmental safety of fruits, beneficial for human health. The present work established the influence of mineral and organomineral fertiliser systems on plant performance and fruit quality of column-like apple-tree cultivated on sod-podzolic soils. The research objects included the Triumph, President, Valyuta and Ostankino column-like apple varieties, organic and mineral fertilisers. The research was carried out in 2016-2020 in the field agrochemical experiment at the Demonstration Garden of FSBSO ARHCBAN (Moscow region) on the sod-podzolic soil having medium loamy particle-size distribution. The experiment included 4 groups: 1) control without fertilisers, 2) N90K90, 3) 100 t/ha of organic fertilisers, 4) N90K90 + 100 t/ha organic fertilisers. Mineral fertilisers (Na, Kc) were applied annually; organic fertiliser (bedding horse manure and sawdust) was applied in 2014. The performance measurements, plant biometrics and analyses of plant samples were carried out following the standard methods. The influence of mineral and organomineral fertiliser systems on plant performance and fruit quality of column-like apple trees growing on sod-podzolic soil showed varietal specificity and diversity, depending on the variety. The Valyuta variety was more sensitive to mineral fertilisers (plant performance improved by 22.1 % over the unfertilised control) than organic fertilisers (plant performance decreased by 14.3 % compared to the reference). Although the President variety reacted positively to the application of organic fertiliser (plant performance increased by 22.5 %), the apple mass per plant in this variety decreased by 9.0 % when mineral fertiliser was applied. Furthermore, the co-application of an additional fertiliser (organic or mineral, respectively) for Valyuta and President varieties reduced the plant performance. The Triumph variety showed a weak sensitivity to various forms of fertilisers; upon their coapplication, the plant performance of this variety decreased by 12.4 % relative to the unfertilised control. The Ostankino variety characterised by the highest plant performance (up to 5.5 kg/plant) showed low sensitivity towards each fertiliser; under their co-application, the plant performance increased by 14.6 % relative to the control.