Haifa Bonus improved nutritional status of apple orchard in Korea

Yield increase was attributed to better fruit retention and larger fruit size

Crop/cultivar	Apple / Yangkwang
Country / location	Korea / Kyungbuk (Youngju) / Summer 2004
Objectives	Improve fruit quality and nutritional status of the Orchard
Haifa product tested	Haifa Bonus 13-2-44
Application method	Foliar nutrition
Tested treatment	One foliar spray @ 0.5%, 1,200lit./ha in mid-May + Two foliar sprays @ 1%, 1,500lit./ha in mid-June & early July + Two foliar sprays @ 1%, 1,500lit./ha at end-August & mid-Sep
Control treatment results	Total yield Kg/ha- 24800 % of marketable fruit – 88 Mean fruit weight – 280 Sugar Content (Brixo) - 12.8
Best treatment results	Total yield Kg/ha- 25500 % of marketable fruit – 91 Mean fruit weight – 295 Sugar Content (Brixo) – 13.5
Net benefit of best treatment	4,860 US$/ha
Benefit/Cost ratio	13.4
Conclusions	Yield increase can be attributed to enhanced fruit retention force that reduced fruit drop by severe winds (typhoons). Also, picking labor was reduced because less selective picking cycles had to be done, because a larger share of the fruits became large enough to be picked earlier in the season, and then again less fruit was exposed to the severe winds. Tree condition improved and leaves’ browning symptom reduced. Fruit-drop decreased during monsoon season.
Reference	Gil-Hong Ko, Haifa-Korea