Improving the Growth of Newly 

 Planted Apple Trees 



Dr. James R. Schupp 



Hudson Valley Laboratory, Cornell University 



The objective of this study was to compare the 

 effects of pre -plant mono-ammonium phosphate 

 (MAP), with or without broadcast apple pomace 

 compost, on the early growth and fruiting on apple 

 trees. 



Macoun/B.9 apple trees were planted using a 

 tractor-mounted tree planter on May 1 , 1 998 into plots 

 which had received one of the following combinations 

 of pre-plant treatments: 1 ) no compost plus urea; 2) no 



compost plus MAP; 3) compost plus urea; and 4) 

 compost plus MAP. 



First-year Results 



Compost application increased soil pH and cation 

 exchange capacity (CEC)ofthe plots (Table 1). SoilP, 

 K, Mg, and Ca also were increased in compost plots. 

 Pre-plant MAP had no effect upon soil pH, CEC, P, K, 



This project was supported in part by a grant from the New England Tree Fruit Growers Research Committee. Also, Dr. 

 Schupp was with the University of Maine at the time of the study. 



Fruit Notes, Volume 66, 2001 



45 



