Foliar nutrient status of field grown tissue cultured and budded apple trees

Abstract Nutrient concentrations in leaves of self‐rooted apple trees propagated by tissue culture (TC) were compared to the same cultivars budded on seedling, MM 106, and M.26 rootstock planted at two sites, Beltsville, MD and Kearneysville, WV. Leaf samples were monitored annually for 3 years after planting for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, B, Zn and Al from ‘Ozark Gold’ and ‘Stayman’ apples at both sites and ‘Northern Spy’ at Beltsville only. Leaf K and Mn concentrations tended to be higher in trees on M.26 and MM 106, while Ca was higher in TC or seedling trees. Foliar Mg was lower in trees budded on MM 106. Variation in P concentrations was greatest over years, while leaf N and Fe displayed only slight variation among rootstocks. Leaf B and Zn did not exhibit any consistent trends and Cu and Al were not affected by year, rootstock, cultivar or site.