DOI: https://doi.org/10.21276/AATCCReview.2025.13.01.77

Abstract

Present investigation was carried out at SKUAST-K , The grafted apple plants cv.
Gala Redlum /M9 T339 raised under polyhouse conditions and subsequent growth
performance of plants in the following spring season after field transplanting.
Treatments consisted of urea @ 4, 6 or 8 %, and Cu EDTA @ 0.5, 1, 1.5 or 2 %
either alone or in combination of urea @ 2 % (sprayed 15 days before Cu EDA
application) thus comprising total 12 treatments in the experiment including
untreated control.The urea (2 %) was sprayed on 16th October, 2021 and the
defoliation treatments i.e., urea @ 4, 6 and 8 % and Cu EDTA @ 0.5, 1, 1.5 and
2% were sprayed on 1st November, 2022. The results revealed that Cu-EDTA
either alone or in combination of two per cent 8 urea induced early defoliation
compared to untreated control and 4, 6 or 8 per cent urea sprays. At 24 days after
defoliant’s treatment, Cu- EDTA @ 1, 1.5 or 2 per cent either alone or in
combination of 2 per cent urea caused more than 90 per cent leaf defoliation. Cu
EDTA @ 2 per cent resulted the highest leaf defoliation but statistically at par
with urea @ 2 % + Cu-EDTA @ 2 %, urea @ 2 % + Cu EDTA @ 1.5 % and urea
@ 2 % + Cu EDTA @ 1 %. Urea spray as defoliant (4, 6 and 8%) delayed leaf
defoliation but increased plant nitrogen content (in shoot and roots) and
subsequent growth performance of plant in following season after field
transplanting. compared to control. Adding 2 % urea with Cu-EDTA (sprayed 15
days before Cu

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