Integration of fertility management and planting distance on diseases incidence, crop yield and fruit quality in intensive organic ap-ple production systems.

Summary

To optimise the fruit quality and yield, timing and type of nitrogen supply were investigated in a low input organic system with intensive planting densi-ties. Six fertiliser treatments and 3 planting densities were combined for the apple cultivar ‘Discovery’ in 2004 and 2005. No differences appeared between yields due to soil treatments. Mulching with straw reduced the available nitrogen in the soil and low nitrogen uptake caused less trees infected with fruit tree canker. Mechanical weed cleaning in the tree row and no nitrogen supply had the same yield as fertilised treatments. In an intensive orchard system the planting density should not be closer than 0.9m for the cultivar ‘Discovery’.