Increasing N and Ca levels in apples

Foliar nutrition with Haifa Cal significantly increased Calcium (Ca) content of apple fruits

Crop/cultivar	Apple/Jonathan x Gala
Country / location	Israel / Golan Height (Northern part) ; summer 2005
Objectives	Improve yield and fruit quality (storability and combating ‘Bitter Pit’)
Haifa product tested	Haifa Cal GG 15.5-0-0 +26.5
Application method	Foliar nutrition
Tested treatment	6 x Foliar feeding @ 0.8% Multi-Cal + 0.025% Triton X-100, at 7 days intervals, starting in mid-June.
Control treatment results	Ca content (ppm in DM) in fruit rind - 647 Ca content (ppm in DM) in fruit flesh - 447
Best treatment results	Ca content (ppm in DM) in fruit rind - 847 Ca content (ppm in DM) in fruit flesh - 538
Conclusions	Haifa Cal significantly increased N and Ca contents of the apple fruits as compared with the unsprayed control. Fruit hardness and Bitter pit occurrence were not significantly affected by the treatment.
Reference	Yoni Gal, Ministry of Agriculture; E. Yonnay- “Golan Fruits“