DISTRIBUTION OF SOME ELEMENTS IN LEAVES AND FRUITS OF GOLDEN DELICIOUS GROWN ON DIFFERENT ROOTSTOCKS UNDER THE SAME NUTRITIONAL CONDITIONS

Mineral content (percentage dry matter) for the different elements varied within the intervals 2.34–2.39 per cent for nitrogen, 0.37–0.41 per cent for phosphorus, 1.27–1.32 per cent for potassium, 2.08–2.37 per cent for calcium and 0.50–0.52 per cent for magnesium.

There was no pronounced difference in mineral content in leaves in relation to rootstock vigour. In the micro-elements fraction there was mostly manganese, then copper and zinc.

There were different amounts of given elements in the different parts of apple fruits and the differences were influenced by the rootstock. Most of the minerals were found in the apple seeds (69.65 per cent), significantly less in peel (15.67 per cent) and the least in the mesocarp (14.68 per cent). The seeds contained 85–87 per cent of the nitrogen, 78–80 per cent of the phosphorus, 66–72 per cent of the calcium, 51–57 per cent of the iron, 93–94 per cent of the copper and 39–64 per cent of the zinc. The fruit epidermis contained only 6–8 per cent of the nitrogen, 8 per cent of the phosphorus, 15–18 per cent of the calcium, 24–28 per cent of the iron, 27–36 per cent of the copper and 17–24 per cent of the zinc but 39–54 per cent of the manganese and 39–53 per cent of the magnesium. The potassium content in the mesocarp was relatively high (38 per cent), somewhat lower (29–35 per cent) in seeds and the lowest in epidermis (28–33 per cent).