Integrated nitrogen management of young deciduous apricot orchard

A long term field experiment was conducted on young deciduous apricot fruit orchard that was planted during January 2002. After establishment of plants, the experimental treatments were imposed during January 2003. The treatments consisted of T-1 (control), T-2 (100% mineral N), T-3 (75% mineral N + 25% N as farmyard manure), T-4 (50% mineral N + 25% N as farmyard manure + 25% N as poultry manure), T-5 (25% mineral N + 50% N as farmyard manure + 25% N as poultry manure) and T-6 (25% mineral N + 25% N as farmyard manure + 25% N as poultry manure + 25% N as oil seed cake). During January 2003, nitrogen was applied at 90g N tree(-1) year(-1) and was increased with an increment of 90g tree(-1) each year. Basal doses of phosphorus and potash were applied in dormant season before bud sprout. The experiments were laid out according to RCB design and there were two trees per treatments with four replications. All the culture practices such as hoeing, weeding, irrigation were followed to keep the orchard in good condition. Leaf samples were collected in mid summer from mid portion of current year extension growth for nitrogen analysis. Data on pruned product, number of branches and height of the branches was recorded in dormant season (each year in December). The results showed that maximum number of branches, pruned products, height of branches and nitrogen concentration was obtained in treatment receiving 75% mineral N and 25% N from farm yard manure followed by mineral N alone treatment. Increasing the proportion of nitrogen from organic source beyond 50 percent decreased the vegetative growth.