ISHS Acta Horticulturae 383: Mineral Nutrition of Deciduous Fruit Plants
A SURVEY OF THE AMOUNT OF SOIL MINERAL NITROGEN IN UK FRUIT PLANTATIONS |
| Author: | M.J. Marks |
| Keywords: | Nitrate pollution, nitrogen fertiliser, orchard soil management |
| Abstract:
Soil mineral nitrogen measurements were made in late autumn and in the following late winter in 68 randomly selected fruit plantations. Row and alley positions were sampled separately. The mean amounts of soil mineral nitrogen for each major crop were generally in the range 40–150 kg/ha N except for the row position of pears and blackcurrants where higher values of 250–320 kg/ha N were obtained. The high values in pear orchards was associated with a mean nitrogen fertiliser application rate 47% above current recommendations. The high values in blackcurrant plantations were not associated with nitrogen application rates in excess of current recommendations. The main factors influencing soil mineral nitrogen were found to be crop type, soil management, total nitrogen application rate and the amount of nitrogen applied in July. These factors accounted for 84% of the variation in soil mineral nitrogen in rows and 76–78% of the variation in alleys. | |
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