EFFECT OF AUTUMN FOLIAR UREA SPRAY ON NUTRIENTS STATUS OF 'ELISE' APPLE TREES

The present project was undertaken to study the influence of autumn foliar urea application on leaf and twigs macroelements content and yield of 5 year old 'Elise' apple. The study was carried out in years 2004-2007 in the experimental orchard at Garlica Murowana near Krakow. Trees were sprayed with 2 % and 4 % of urea at post-harvest in October. The yield of fruits and the contents of N, P, K, Mg and Ca were examined in plant samples collected. The N status of apple trees was optimal or high independent on treatments. Autumn foliar urea sprays increased N content in twigs, but only in 2007 (after dry and warm 2006) affected fruit yield. There is some evidence that autumn application of urea would be most useful for trees with low nitrogen status. The results indicate that use of foliar urea at the high solution concentration (4 % m/v) is more efficient way to N supply than 2 %.