Improving Fertilisation Strategies in Organic Apple Cultivation

Organic fertilisers for apple production are multi-nutrient fertilisers that may cause nutrient imbalances in the production system. We carried out investigations on new organic fertilisers to assess their suitability for apple cultivation with the goal of more balanced fertilisation. We compared biogas digestates, compost, peas, clover grass pellets and silage to commonly used horn grit, vinasse and an unfertilised control in 2018 and 2019 in an apple orchard near Lake Constance. No significant differences were detected with regard to fruit quality and yield. Highest values of mineral nitrogen in the soil could be seen in the digestates and the peas in May