I. Mineral nutrient profiles and relationships of ‘Honeycrisp’ grown on a genetically diverse set of rootstocks under Western New York climatic conditions

Abstract

We measured mineral nutrient concentrations in leaves, fruit flesh and fruit peel from field grown apple trees grown on a genetically diverse group of rootstocks from the fifth leaf through the eigth leaf (2014)(2015)(2016)(2017) and identified relationships between nutrients in leaves and fruit of 'Honeycrisp' apple. We also evaluated the constancy of rootstock influence on scion nutrient profiles over the four years. Boron concentration was consistent in different seasons, with rootstocks M.9 (several clones), B.9, M.26EMLA, PiAu51-11 and B.71-7-22 resulting in consistently low boron levels, while G.935, CG.2034, CG.4004, G.222 and CG.5087 provided consistently high boron levels. Unlike boron, calcium concentration in scion tissues was somewhat variable in different seasons suggesting a role for climate and perhaps management factors in the rootstock induced absorption and translocation of calcium. We identified a group of rootstocks that yielded high calcium levels in scion tissues (G.214, B.10, G.41, B.9, G.935, G.11, CG.4003) while another group yielded low calcium levels (M.26, M.9-T337, G.202, CG.4004, G.814). We also identified a group of rootstocks that induced low potassium values in scion tissues (CG.4003, G.935, G.222, and G.202), whereas B.70-20-21, B.67-5-32, B.70-20-20 yielded consistently higher values. Rootstock B.10 and CG.2034 induced consistently higher potassium values in fruittissues. The ratio of K/Ca in leaves and fruit was the best predictor of bitter pit in 'Honeycrisp' apples, suggesting that rootstock induced levels for both nutrients play a role in this disorder and that the addition of potassium fertilizers on potassium-efficient rootstocks might increase the susceptibility to bitter pit. Rootstocks CG.4003, B.10, G.41N, and G.214 seemed to produce fruit with lower levels of bitter pit. Our data indicates that some rootstocks are more efficient at absorbing nutrients than others, which implies that fertilizer recommendations developed using one rootstock, such as M.26 or M.9, might be too high for other rootstocks which are more efficient and could thus be causing tree and fruit physiological disorders. Newer rootstocks might be already supplying the needed amounts of minerals to scion tissues.

Polyphenolics and Chemical Profiles of Domestic Norwegian Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) Cultivars

“…The content of S was positively correlated to K, Mg, and P content ( r = 0.647; r = 0.657; and r = 0.628, respectively). Similar results for correlation between Mg and S, K and S, and between S and P, were determined in “Honeycrisp” apples grown on different rootstocks in Champlain valley in New York and Western New York climatic conditions ( 62 , 63 ).…”

‘Honeycrisp’ Bitter Pit Response to Rootstock and Region under Eastern New York Climatic Conditions

“…Most are related to the mineral nutrition and bitter pit incidence relationship. Two studies reported a clear, positive relationship between potassium-to-calcium ratio and bitter pit incidence [ 17 , 18 ] (Valverdi et al, 2021; Fazio et al, 2020). However, mineral content is not the only criterion for the occurrence of bitter pit and does not always explain the presence or absence of symptoms in a particular orchard [ 13 ].…”

The Influence of Rootstock on Fruit Ethylene, Respiration, Index of Absorbance Difference, Fruit Quality, and Production of ‘Aztec Fuji’ Apple under a Full-crop Condition

“…They reported that morphological and biochemical parameters such as lower plant height, lower mineral nutrient concentrations [phosphorous (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu)], specific hormonal ratios and higher starch content can be considered as preferable indices for the selection of dwarfing apple rootstocks and these characteristics were found in M.9 rootstock. Some dwarfing rootstocks including B.9, M.9, and M.26 were also categorized in the "low" category for boron (B) absorption and transfer to grafted scions such as 'Fuji' and 'Honeycrisp' over multiple years and field trials indicating a rootstock genotype specific influence on mineral nutrient level concentration in grafted scions (Fazio et al, 2015(Fazio et al, , 2020Reig et al, 2018). The report by Hayat et al (2019), to some extent, agrees with earlier reports where fruit quality attributes in the 'Stark Spur Golden Delicious' apple fruit on OAR-1 rootstock was superior to those on other rootstocks (Fallahi et al, 1985b), because of their lower nitrogen concentrations (Fallahi et al, 1984).…”