Prebloom Treatments to Alleviate Cold Injury in Apple

Abstract

Damage to xylem subtending apple buds is often observed following very low winter temperatures. Reports suggest that prebloom application of boron, zinc, and urea facilitate recovery. Prebloom nutrient treatments were applied to `McIntosh' and `Empire' at three sites in Spring 1994. The following treatments were applied to drip at half-inch green: boron (22.8 mM, solubor); Zn-EDTA (0.75 mM); boron and Zn-EDTA; boron, Zn-EDTA, and urea (59.4 mM). Another treatment used boron and Zn-EDTA at half-inch green, followed by boron, Zn-EDTA, and urea at pink. Spur leaf area, fruit set, fruit size, and seed number were determined. There were no clear treatment effects at the warmest site (mid-winter low –32C); however, this orchard was more variable than other treatment sites. The intermediate site (mid-winter low –37C) had a strong trend of increasing fruit set in `Empire' and `McIntosh' as more nutrients were applied. The combined half-inch green and pink treatment significantly increased fruit set by 23.8% compared to the untreated control. At the coldest site (mid-winter low –42C), `Empire' again displayed a strong trend of increasing fruit set with additional nutrients. All treatments combining boron and zinc significantly increased fruit set. The combined half-inch green and pink treatment increased fruit set by 43%. At this site `McIntosh' did not respond to treatment. However, `McIntosh' trees had continued active growth into late Fall 1993 and sustained severe cold injury in November. Data suggest that, when they were effective, nutrient treatments resulted in increased retention of flower buds on damaged spurs.