It is important that potassium concentrations are in balance with other cations, particularly calcium, as preferential uptake of potassium over calcium will significantly increase the risk of rotten fruit and physiological disorders.
How to minimise apple rots and storage diseases
Many disease-causing pathogens attack apple trees often leading to rotten fruit and storage rots. A balanced crop nutrition programme leads to a more robust, healthier tree more able to resist infection.
Diseases may damage the fruit directly, making it unattractive or inedible, but also weaken the apple tree by injuring or invading the leaves, trunk and branches. Damage to apple trees reduces productivity and increases susceptibility to winter injury or attack by additional pests. The most common diseases are rust, scab, different rots and fire blight.
Calcium helps prevent storage rots
Calcium increases cell wall strength making fruit and other tissues better able to withstand disease attacks. Storage rots including Gloeosporium rot and penicillium can be minimized by use of calcium. Repeated foliar applications are the most effective at alleviating this kind of damage.
Potassium excess interferes with calcium uptake
Recommended fertilisers for apples
Related articles
How to reduce bitter pit in apples
A balanced crop nutrition is essential for the management of bitter pit. Bitter pit is a physiological disorder associated with low levels of calcium in the apple tissue, which reduces apple quality and marketability.
How to minimise apple internal breakdown
A good crop nutrition can help to minimize internal breakdown incidence in apples. It can be associated with intense water core disorder, cold storage, and boron and phosphorus deficiencies.
How to reduce lenticel blotch in apples
Lenticel blotch is associated with excessive use of nitrogen, hot summers and late harvests. Lenticels are slightly sunken blotches that result in underlying tissue drying out and becoming brown and spongy.
How to increase apple firmness
Nutrition can influence apple firmness. Nitrogen, potassium and calcium are the most important nutrients.
Identify and diagnose apple nutrient deficiencies
Identify and diagnose if your apple trees are suffering from nutrient deficiencies and learn more about the symptoms and causes and how to control or correct the deficiency
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