Effects of area of herbicide and grass sward treatments and amount of nitrogen fertilizer on the mineral composition of Cox’s Orange Pippin apple fruit

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Abstract
The effects of changing orchard management systems from grass alleys and a normal width of herbicide strip to overall herbicide or 90% grass sward, and nitrogen fertilizer applications from 156 to nil, 62.5 and 125 kg N ha-1 on fruit composition of Cox’s Orange Pippin apples were observed for 10 successive years in a field trial. Fruit ऩ concentrations were usually lowered by the higher rates of N, increased by extra grass and reduced in some years by overall herbicide compared with levels in fruit from trees remaining in the herbicide strip. Larger areas of herbicide-treated soil also tended to reduce Na concentrations. Calcium concentrations were reduced in one year only by the overall herbicide treatment when average fruit size was increased. The normally strong positive correlation between K and Mg in fruit samples was apparent in alternate years only. Percentage dry matter was significantly lowered by overall herbicide in two years only.