Effect of Soil Management and Calcium Nitrate Fertilization on the Availability of Soil Nitrate and Cations in an Eastern Apple Orchard
Year: 1987
Type: article
Abstract: Four annual applications of Ca(NO 3 ) 2 were made to ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Delicious’ apple trees beginning in the second leaf at rates of 0.5 to 8 times the recommended rate (45 g/tree per year of age) in each of three soil management systems: cultivated, herbicide, and mowed sod. Soil samples were collected in Mar. and July 1983 (fifth leaf) to a 120-cm depth at the tree drip line. July samples were analyzed for available Ca, Mg, K, Mn, percentage of base saturation, NO 3 -N, and soil pH (0.01 m CaCl 2 ); March samples only for NO 3 -N. The sod system had the highest soil pH, Ca level, and percentage of base saturation; the herbicide had the lowest, and the cultivated treatment was intermediate. The rate of Ca(NO 3 ) 2 had no measurable effect on these values except in the surface pH levels (030 cm), where sod was unaffected but the cultivated and herbicide systems had a significant reduction in pH with increasing levels of Ca(NO 3 ) 2 . Soil Mn availability and leaf Mn increased with increasing Ca(NO 3 ) 2 levels in association with the decreasing pH levels. Available soil Mg and leaf Mg decreased with increasing Ca(NO 3 ) 2 due to Ca displacement of soil Mg on the cation exchange complex. Leaf Ca was unaffected by Ca(NO 3 ) 2 rate or the soil management system. During the growing season (Mar.-July 1983), the herbicide system accumulated significantly more of the applied Ca(NO 3 ) 2 than the cultivated or sod systems. No yield response and minimal leaf NO 3 response suggested differences in NO 3 accumulation were due to variation in leaching due to the soil management systems.
Authors: D.M. Glenn, S.S. Miller, M.A. Habecker
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,500
OpenAlex ID: W4289844289