In order to achieve a high yield and quality of apple fruit, more effective ways of fertilization are required in the modern, high density apple orchards. The objective of this research was to determine the efficiency (partial nutrient balance, PNB) of different methods (foliar and fertrigation) and forms (chelates and salts) of microelements application in relation to the levels of N fertilization in apple orchard cultivar (‘Golden Delicious’). The combined effects of these fertilizers on the number of apple fruits per tree and on the yield per tree were also studied. Foliar application of Mn, Zn and Fe had significantly higher partial nutrient balance values compared to the soil application in both years of the experiment. However, most of the PNB values were below 10% indicating relatively low efficiency of the applied fertilizers with microelements.

The aim of this research was to determine the influence of drip fertigation on soil chemical properties and vertical distribution of nutrient in the root zone of three apple orchards planted on soils with different textures (loam, clay loam and sandy loam). The fertigation led to a significant decrease in soil pH, concentration of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) and organic carbon (C). Changes of these parameters were more pronounced in sandy loam soil than in loam and clay loam. Fine textured soils (loam and clay loam) had higher accumulation of available forms of P, K, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu in the surface layer at 0-10 cm depth, compared to sandy loam soil. The results showed that, despite numerous advantages, drip system of fertigation can lead to negative changes of soil properties and that the sandy loam soils are more exposed, but in the same time more suitable for fertigation due to better vertical distribution of nutrients in a soil profile compared to loam and clay loam.