FERTIGATION AND CONTROLLED STRIP COVER BY WEEDS IN IP APPLE ORCHARDS

In a field experiment an apple orchard was treated with different tree row management and irrigation with broadcast fertilizer application vs. fertigation to overcome weed competition. In the establishing period of the orchard, growth, yield and tree nutrition were mainly affected by the tree row management. Differences between irrigation and fertigation treatments were generally small. Experience showed that ground cover competition for water and nutrients cannot be completely overcome with irrigation or fertigation treatments.