Optimizing crop loading of apples and pears - results 2004-2006 (foliar fertilizers, thinning)

Summary in the original language of the document

Main topics of the research-project FuE 03OE088 of “Bundesprogramm Ökologischer
Landbau” (30.04.2004-31.12.2006) were the testing of foliar fertilizers in organic apples
and pears, optimizing lime sulphur for blossom thinning, looking for alternatives to lime
sulphur for blossom thinning and looking at different combinations of thinning measures.
Only the results of testing foliar fertilizers (carried out by KoGa Ahrweiler and OVB/ÖON
Jork) and combinations of thinning measures (carried out by LVWO Weinsberg) are
described in this article. Over three years only a small increase in yield was evaluated for
the fertilizers Aminosol PS and Wuxal Ascofol (site Ahrweiler, apple variety ‘Elstar’). In
Jork (apple variety ‘Holsteiner Cox’) yield could only be judged in 2005 and 2006. Wuxal
Ascofol showed some advantage in comparison to the control. At pear variety ‘Conference’
no clear tendencies could be seen, the control had the highest yield. In 2005 the fruitsetting
of ‘Conference’ was very low because of bad conditions during blossom.