Effects of Water and Nitrogen Regulation on Apple Tree Growth, Yield, Quality, and Their Water and Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Results
2.1. Response of Leaf Nitrogen Content to Water and Nitrogen Regulation in Apple Trees
2.2. Growth Status of Apple Tree New Shoots (Spring Shoots) in Response to Water and Nitrogen Regulation
2.3. Response of Intrinsic Quality of Apple to Water and Nitrogen Regulation
2.4. Response of Yield and Its Components to Water and Nitrogen Regulation
2.5. Effect of Water Consumption on Water Productivity and Yield of Apple Trees
2.6. Effect of Nitrogen Application on Nitrogen Partial Factor Productivity and Yield of Apple Trees
3. Discussion
3.1. Effects of Water and Nitrogen Regulation on Leaf Nitrogen Content and Growth of Apple Trees
3.2. Impact of Water and Nitrogen Regulation on Apple Yield and Quality
3.3. Effects of Water and Nitrogen Regulation on Water Consumption and Nitrogen Utilization in Apple Trees
4. Material and Methods
4.1. Experiment Location
4.2. Experimental Design
Growth Period | Time | Experiment Year | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021–2022 | 2022–2023 | ||||||
N | P2O5 | K2O | N | P2O5 | K2O | ||
% | % | % | % | % | % | ||
After harvest (base fertilizer) | early-October | 20 | 16 | 8 | 20 | 16 | 8 |
Budding stage | late-March | 30 | 31 | 15 | 30 | 31 | 15 |
New shoot growth stage | mid-April | 10 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 8 |
Flowering stage | early-May | 20 | 12 | 9 | 20 | 12 | 9 |
Fruit setting | early-June | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Early fruit enlargement stage | late-June | 10 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 |
Rapid fruit enlargement stage | mid-July | 0 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 20 |
Later fruit enlargement stage | early-August | 0 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 20 |
4.3. Plant Measurements
4.3.1. Measurement of New Shoot (Spring) Growth
4.3.2. Measurement of Leaf Nitrogen Content
4.3.3. Measurement of Yield and Its Components
4.3.4. Measurement of Fruit Quality Indicators
4.4. Calculation of Water Consumption
4.5. Calculation of Water and Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency
- (1)
- Water productivity (WP) [47]
- (2)
- Nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP) [48]
4.6. Model Description and Application
4.7. Meteorological Factors
4.8. Statistical Analysis and Computation
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
Abbreviation | Interpretations |
FC | field capacity |
WP | water productivity |
NPFP | nitrogen partial factor productivity |
SWC | soil water content |
FF | flesh firmness |
TSS | total soluble solids |
SSC | soluble sugars content |
TA | titratable acidity |
VC | vitamin C |
SFW | single fruit weight |
FNP | the number of fruits per plant |
ET | water consumption |
LAI | leaf area index |
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Years | Factor | Flowing Stage | Perennial Growth Stage | Young Fruit Stage | Early Fruit Expansion | Rapid Fruit Expansion | Fruit Coloring Stage | Harvest Stage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | W | NS | NS | * | NS | NS | NS | NS |
N | NS | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | |
W × N | * | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | |
2023 | W | ** | ** | ** | * | ** | ** | ** |
N | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | ** | |
W × N | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS | NS |
Years | Treatments | Model Parameters | Characteristic Parameters | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
K (cm) | a | b | tm (d) | vm (cm·d−1) | Tm (d) | R2 | ||
2022 | W1N1 | 27.63 | 2.21 | 1.51 | 20.93 | 0.58 | 69.59 | 0.928 |
W1N2 | 22.81 | 3.03 | 4.18 | 10.60 | 1.11 | 25.23 | 0.990 | |
W1N3 | 20.42 | 3.67 | 4.81 | 10.81 | 1.24 | 21.90 | 0.993 | |
W1N4 | 20.37 | 2.88 | 3.96 | 10.70 | 1.05 | 26.63 | 0.991 | |
W2N1 | 19.41 | 2.97 | 4.07 | 10.72 | 1.07 | 25.91 | 0.993 | |
W2N2 | 23.65 | 2.85 | 4.10 | 10.22 | 1.08 | 25.72 | 0.991 | |
W2N3 | 21.95 | 3.46 | 4.35 | 11.41 | 1.13 | 24.20 | 0.992 | |
W2N4 | 21.62 | 2.86 | 3.66 | 11.47 | 0.98 | 28.78 | 0.994 | |
2023 | W1N1 | 18.74 | 2.22 | 3.17 | 10.05 | 0.90 | 33.25 | 0.994 |
W1N2 | 30.08 | 4.12 | 2.72 | 20.78 | 0.96 | 38.68 | 0.994 | |
W1N3 | 27.45 | 3.97 | 3.56 | 15.50 | 1.04 | 29.59 | 0.999 | |
W1N4 | 26.94 | 3.50 | 3.18 | 15.78 | 0.98 | 33.17 | 0.997 | |
W2N1 | 20.29 | 3.39 | 2.88 | 16.97 | 0.90 | 36.62 | 0.998 | |
W2N2 | 31.21 | 4.76 | 2.37 | 26.32 | 0.95 | 44.46 | 0.997 | |
W2N3 | 30.59 | 4.41 | 2.71 | 21.91 | 0.97 | 38.88 | 0.997 | |
W2N4 | 28.31 | 4.76 | 2.86 | 21.82 | 1.01 | 36.85 | 0.999 |
Treatment | The Lower Limit of Irrigation | Nitrogen Fertilizer Amount in Each Experiment Year (kg⸱ha−1) |
---|---|---|
W1N1 | 55%FC | 0 |
W1N2 | 55%FC | 120 |
W1N3 | 55%FC | 240 |
W1N4 | 55%FC | 360 |
W2N1 | 75%FC | 0 |
W2N2 | 75%FC | 120 |
W2N3 | 75%FC | 240 |
W2N4 | 75%FC | 360 |
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Li, X.; Li, S.; Qiang, X.; Yu, Z.; Sun, Z.; Wang, R.; He, J.; Han, L.; Li, Q. Effects of Water and Nitrogen Regulation on Apple Tree Growth, Yield, Quality, and Their Water and Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency. Plants 2024, 13, 2404. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172404
Li X, Li S, Qiang X, Yu Z, Sun Z, Wang R, He J, Han L, Li Q. Effects of Water and Nitrogen Regulation on Apple Tree Growth, Yield, Quality, and Their Water and Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency. Plants. 2024; 13(17):2404. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172404
Chicago/Turabian StyleLi, Xingqiang, Siqi Li, Xiaolin Qiang, Zhao Yu, Zhaojun Sun, Rong Wang, Jun He, Lei Han, and Qian Li. 2024. "Effects of Water and Nitrogen Regulation on Apple Tree Growth, Yield, Quality, and Their Water and Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency" Plants 13, no. 17: 2404. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172404