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Copy link Nova PK88 Apple Trial in Michigan
30
Kent City, Michigan, USA 2022
30
Key Conclusions
Foliar nutrition is an important tool for increasing apple yield and can increase individual fruit size by nearly 30%. Nova PK88 at a rate of approximately 0.9 kg 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 PK88 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 PK88, a P and K containing water soluble fertilizer, for improving apple yield. An additional objective was to determine the rate effect of Nova PK88 compared to a grower standard product and application rate.
Trial Details
Trial station
Kent City, Michigan, USA
Crop
Apple
Product
PK88
Assessments
Fruit size and yield per acre
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 PK88 (0-44-44) was applied at two rates (0.8 or 3.4 kg).
- 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 1.12 kg
The three treatments that received a foliar fertilizer (0-50-33, low-rate PK88, and high-rate PK88) 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 3.5 kg P2O5 and 2.22 kg K2O
- The low-rate treatment of Nova PK88 received 4.95 cumulative pounds of each nutrient
- The high-rate treatment of Nova PK88 received 20.4 cumulative pounds of each nutrient per acre.
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 PK88 (0-44-44) was applied at two rates (0.8 or 3.4 kg).
- 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 1.12 kg
The three treatments that received a foliar fertilizer (0-50-33, low-rate PK88, and high-rate PK88) 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 3.5 kg P2O5 and 2.22 kg K2O
- The low-rate treatment of Nova PK88 received 4.95 cumulative pounds of each nutrient
- The high-rate treatment of Nova PK88 received 20.4 cumulative pounds of each nutrient per acre.
Results
- All foliar P and K treatments significantly increased average individual fruit weight and yield equivalent per acre 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 acre increase of approximately 343 bushels per acre
- The high-rate treatment of PK88 trended higher in yield compared to both 0-50-33 and the low-rate PK88 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.
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