Kb. Marsh et Bm. Stowell, EFFECT OF FERTIGATION AND HYDROGEN CYANAMIDE ON FRUIT PRODUCTION, NUTRIENT-UPTAKE, AND FRUIT-QUALITY IN KIWIFRUIT, New Zealand journal of crop and horticultural science, 21(3), 1993, pp. 247-252
In a 3-year field trial, kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) vines receive
d 40% of their nutrient requirements by fertigation and the rest as so
lid fertiliser. All plots received 158 kg/ha nitrogen (N) and 294 kg/h
a potassium (K). After 3 years the vines receiving fertigation showed
no advantage over those receiving a conventional solid fertiliser prog
ramme in yield, or leaf nutrient levels for kiwifruit. The quality of
fruit from vines supplied with or without fertigation was assessed at
harvest, and at several times during 22-week storage trials. Fruit app
eared relatively unaffected by fertigation, and no difference in stora
ge behaviour of the fruit was recorded. The interaction between fertil
iser response and crop load was investigated by applying hydrogen cyan
amide to create two crop loads. Hydrogen cyanamide increased fruit num
bers by c. 30% in 2 out of 3 years, but had little effect on the respo
nse to fertigation.