Trickle irrigation/fertigation in high density apple orchards and its effects on growth and yield of "Honeycrisp" apples.

The Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia is a well-known apple producing region of Eastern Canada. Appleorchards traditionally have not been irrigated here due to favorable climatic conditions. However, many newlyestablished high density orchards in recent years have not performed satisfactory. To increase yield and qualityof the apples produced in such orchards (1,200 trees/ acre) trickle/drip irrigation is necessary to providesufficient water and nutrient amounts for maintaining healthy growth of the trees. Irrigation improves plantestablishment, nutrient use, plant health, fruit bearing, size and quality. Drip irrigation is based on preventingrather than relieving moisture stress. Spurr Brothers Farms Ltd. in Kingston, NS is one of the most prominenttree fruit producers in the Valley. The farm adopts the newest technologies in the production of crops includingthe new, high density planting system for apple trees, in particular the Sweetango, Honeycrip and Gala. Thehigh density plantings require additional water to maintain proper growth of plants resulting in high qualityfruit. The company is facing a serious problem associated with quality and size of the apples to be produced ina high density setting. These apples are often undersized and lower quality, due to insufficient water/nutrientuptake. The watering/fertigation guide through a trickle irrigation system will be developed in this project toovercome the problem. It will require installation/testing of the system at Spurr Brothers Farms as well as theevaluation of quality and size of apples harvested from the testing plots. Collected data will enable theirrigation guide to serve as an innovating tool for other apple orchards in NS. Production of new applevarieties such as Honeycrisp, Sweetango in NS is gaining favor as they are in high demand and consumers paypremium prices for the fruit. Apple producers in NS, including Spurr Brothers Farms, are keen to extend theHoneycrisp, Sweetango and Gala plantings to take advantage of the market. Development of anirrigation/fertigation guide for a trickle irrigation system seems necessary to assure the production of highquality, good size fruit increasing profitability of NS producers.