FRUIT QUALITY OF ´FUJI´ APPLE AS AFFECTED BY CROP LOAD AND RATES OF NITROGEN

The trial was conducted in ‘Fuji’/M9 orchard with 5,100 trees ha^-1. The experimental design was as split-block comprising three rates of nitrogen (N) as broadcast fertilization with 60, 90 or 120 kg N ha^-1, and three crop load [(5.0, 3.5 or 1.5 fruits cm^-2 trunk cross sectional area (TCSA)]. Treatments with different N rates lasted two years beginning in the fourth year after planting. In the 4th growing season crop load was adjusted by hand thinning whereas in the next year fruits were not thinned (control year). The major effect of excessive crop load on ‘Fuji’ apple was reduced return bloom. A positive relationship was found between N rates and TCSA in year of applied treatments and return bloom in control year. Results showed no significant effect of N treatment on size and internal fruit quality.