The effect of foliar fertilization on growth and yield of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) cv. Łutówka

Abstract

The present study, carried out in the period 2007-2009 in the Sandomierz Upland, did not show a significant effect of foliar fertilization on trunk thickness and canopy volume in the cultivar Łutówka. However, under the influence of urea applied three times in combination with Florovit at a concentration of 0.5%, a clear increasing trend was observed in the above mentioned parameters used to assess the strength of growth. In years of abundant fruiting, this study showed a significant increase, or on the verge of significance, in yield after threefold application of urea and Florovit in combination. A small insignificant effect of fertilization on fruit weight shows that the growth in yield after the application of fertilization was produced as a consequential effect of a significant increase in the length of one-year shoots and thereby in flowering intensity of the 'Łutówka' cherry trees. In the case of the sour cherry cultivar Łutówka bearing fruit on one-year shoots, foliar feeding after flowering using multi-nutrient fertilizers and urea can be recommended as a technological treatment, in particular in years of abundant fruiting.

Keywords

• sour cherries
• foliar fertilization
• growth
• yield
• fruit quality