EFFECTS OF ALGAE PRODUCTS ON NUTRIENT UPTAKE AND FRUIT QUALITY OF APPLE

Nowadays the main task of scientists and farmers is to find natural ways to avoid negative effects of climatic anomalies and improve plant productivity lead to environmental friendly agriculture. Biostimulants have a great potential to achieve these aims but unfortunately there is little information about its application in apple growing mostly in East Hungary. For this reason, foliar nutrition experiment was made in the region of Nyírség (East Hungary) to investigate the effect of different biostimulants (algae products) on yield, leaf nutrient concentration and quality parameters of cv. ‘Gala Must’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) variety. The study was conducted in 2012 at Nyírbátor in East Hungary in a 14 years old apple plantation. Treatments (application time and doses) were adjusted to the phenological phases of apple and the control was used an untreated check. Effect of treatments was monitored by leaf diagnosis and apple quality measurements. The results demonstrate that the treatments increased the external fruit parameters (diameter, weight, shape index) but not affected consequently the leaf macronutrient status compared to the control. We suppose that, stable treatment effect on leaf nutrient status can be observed in long- lasting experiment only. The applied products significantly increased the amount of flavonoid and phenolic compounds and water soluble antioxidant capacity value compared to the control. Our fruit analysis results supported that the applied biostimulators had no effect on fruit acid and ash content. Moreover, the applied products resulted higher sugar, vitamin C and dry matter content despite the unfavourable, very dry climatic conditions. In sum, results showed that foliar application of biostimulants had a positive effect on yield and resulted bigger and healthier therefore more marketable fruits.