Cover crop and mulching effects on yield and fruit quality in unsprayed organic apple production

Summary

To investigate the optimal growing system for organic apple production three different cover crop management systems were established for two scab resistant varieties. Treatment 1: A permanent grass mixture in the alleyway. Treatment 2: A permanent clover grass mixture in the alleyway and treatment 3: An annual mixture of grass and clover was sown every year in July and mulched down the next year in April. Mechanical weed cleaning was done from April to July. Mechanical weeding was carried out in the tree row and no additional fertilizing and pest disease control were carried out. Effects of soil treatment on nutrient supply and fruit quality was investigated.