Improving Apple Crop Quality and Yield – Bloom to Petal Fall

Apple growers who want to maximize their marketable economic yield must capitalize on limited opportunities to positively impact the crop. Science-Driven Nutrition™ empowers growers with the information, tools, and roadmap they need to succeed throughout the season.

When integrating a foliar nutrition program, the bloom through petal fall period is a critical window of opportunity and Agro-K’s pollinator friendly products have a strong fit. This is when the crop begins to enter fruit cell division, and the right mix of nutrients are required to support and energize this process.

During this point of the season growers can have a significant number of products in the tank.  Science-Driven Nutrition™ ensures growers only apply the nutrients necessary to produce consistently high-quality apples. Using sap analysis testing, growers quickly learn what their crop needs to perform its best, ultimately saving time, money, and tank mix conflicts.

Certain nutrients are critical at this time. Calcium, for example, optimizes the bloom window and maximizes pack out at the end of the season. Effectively applying foliar calcium using products like Agro-K’s Sysstem Cal and Vigor Cal require growers to appreciate the limited timeframe for getting the nutrient into the fruit.

Calcium applied from pre-bloom until four-to-six weeks post-petal fall can positively impact the fruit cells that are forming within the apple. After cell division ends, calcium applications help to maintain the crop’s nutrient levels from depleting but do not influence the fruit cell development. When boron is combined with the calcium applications, such as with Agro-K’s Vigor Cal-Bor-Moly, there is a synergistic effect that increases the uptake of both nutrients. Boron is essential for pollen viability, pollen production and flower health making Agro-K’s TopSet another ideal tool for this window of opportunity.

During fruit cell division phosphorus helps energize the crop and maximize fruit size.  To ensure foliar uptake it is important to use a 100% ortho phosphorus based, food grade product such as Agro-K’s AgroBest 9-24-3.  Balanced with nitrogen to ensure continuing development, and a minimal amount of potassium to avoid antagonizing calcium, AgroBest 9-24-3 provides the essential nutrition needed for bloom and early fruit formation.

To help maximize their investment in crop nutrition, Agro-K sets growers up to make smart decisions using Five Rs: The Right nutrient applied at the Right time in the Right form in the Right mix targeting the Right location in the plant. Science -Driven Nutrition™ is implemented to determine crop nutrient levels and foliar product applications ensuring the apples get what they need to thrive.

For more information on using science-driven nutrition to help your crop flourish throughout the season, visit www.agro-k.com.