Nova HiPeaK Apple Trial in Michigan

35

fruit weight increase
Foliar nutrition with Nova HiPeaK can increase fruit weight by 35%

Kent City, Michigan, USA
2022

Trail

35

fruit weight increase

Key Conclusions

Foliar nutrition is an important tool for increasing apple yield and can increase individual fruit weight by 35%. Nova HiPeaK at a rate of approximately 2.2 kg/ha can be used as an alternative to other common water-soluble fertilizer products. There is potential for greater responses to be achieved by increasing Nova HiPeaK rate, but this should follow local recommendations based on economic and agronomic considerations.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to study foliar application of Nova HiPeaK, a P and K containing water soluble fertilizer, for improving apple yield. An additional objective was to determine the rate effect of Nova HiPeaK compared to a grower standard product and application rate.

Trial Details

Trial station

Kent City, Michigan, USA

Crop

Apple

Assessments

Fruit size and yield

Treatments

All treatments received a grower standard dry granular N-P-K blend in the spring as well as cover sprays of insecticides, fungicides, and growth regulators according to local recommendations.

  • Nova HiPeaK (0-44-44) was applied at two rates (2.1 or 8.6 kg/ha).
  • These treatments were compared to an untreated control as well as a grower standard practice of a 0-50-33 water soluble fertilizer applied at 2.8 kg/ha.
  • The three treatments that received a foliar fertilizer (0-50-33, low-rate Nova HiPeaK, and high-rate Nova HiPeaK) were applied six times to coincide with scheduled cover sprays.
  • Each treatment was replicated four times and there were 10 harvested trees within each treatment replicate.
  • In total, the 0-50-33 treatment received a cumulative total of 8.7 kg/ha P2O5 and 5.6 kg/ha K2O.
  • The low-rate treatment of Nova HiPeaK received 5.5 cumulative kg/ha of each nutrient.
  • The high-rate treatment of Nova HiPeaK received 22.87 cumulative kg/ha of each nutrient.

Treatments

All treatments received a grower standard dry granular N-P-K blend in the spring as well as cover sprays of insecticides, fungicides, and growth regulators according to local recommendations.

  • Nova HiPeaK (0-44-44) was applied at two rates (2.1 or 8.6 kg/ha).
  • These treatments were compared to an untreated control as well as a grower standard practice of a 0-50-33 water soluble fertilizer applied at 2.8 kg/ha.
  • The three treatments that received a foliar fertilizer (0-50-33, low-rate Nova HiPeaK, and high-rate Nova HiPeaK) were applied six times to coincide with scheduled cover sprays.
  • Each treatment was replicated four times and there were 10 harvested trees within each treatment replicate.
  • In total, the 0-50-33 treatment received a cumulative total of 8.7 kg/ha P2O5 and 5.6 kg/ha K2O.
  • The low-rate treatment of Nova HiPeaK received 5.5 cumulative kg/ha of each nutrient.
  • The high-rate treatment of Nova HiPeaK received 22.87 cumulative kg/ha of each nutrient.

Results

  • All foliar P and K treatments significantly increased average individual fruit weight and yield equivalent per hectare compared to the untreated control.
  • On average, foliar nutrition increased individual fruit weight by nearly 30% compared to the untreated control, or an equivalent yield per ha increase of approximately 23 t/ha.
  • The high-rate treatment of Nova HiPeaK trended higher in yield compared to both 0-50-33 and the low-rate Nova HiPeaK treatment.
  • There was no effect of treatment on fruit number per tree. Averaged across the four treatments, there were approximately 110 fruit harvested from each tree.
  • Applied at equivalent amounts of cumulative potassium, 0-50-33 and Nova HiPeaK 0-44-44 performed similarly.
  • The influence of foliar K was likely greater on fruit sizing than foliar P.

 

Nova HiPeaK trial Apple fruit weight

Nova HiPeaK trial Apple yield t/ha

Means presented +/- the standard error of the mean (n=40).

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