Summary
The feasibility of zinc supply to apples (Malus spp. var. Golden Delicious) by various Zn-bentonite preparations implanted in the trunk was studied. A preliminary experiment included four preparations and was conducted in one plantation in 1980. A larger scale experiment in 1981, tested Zn-bentonite (ZnB) and Zn-bentonite + ZnEDTA (ZnBEA) in four plantations in the south, center and north of Israel. Clay tablets were implanted in holes drilled in the tree trunk in April. The youngest, fully developed leaves on the new growth were sampled periodically and Zn content was determined.
ZnB and ZnBEA implanted at the rate of 15 mg Zn/cm trunk circumference significantly increased Zn content above that of the control trees until mid-September. The ZnBEA preparation supported significantly higher leaf concentrations than the ZnB preparation. Peak concentrations in trees treated with the ZnBEA preparation were 75.8, 47.4, 38.4, and 23.7 ppm in the four plantations and occurred in May. The Zn concentration in the youngest leaves decreased during the season but there was evidence that in some cases Zn behaved as a phloem mobile element. Soil, climate and previous zinc treatments affected considerably the Zn concentration found in leaves in the four plantations making it impossible to identify a single critical concentration level.
No damage to the trees was observed as a result of the drilling and implantation of the clay tablets. Clay analysis at the end of the season showed that about two-thirds of the Zn added to the trees was used. The amount of Zn supplied per tree in the implantation procedure was 80–90% lower than that supplied in the routine spraying operations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banin A 1971 Quantitative ion exchange process for clay. U.S. Patent No. 3, 725, 528, 14 p.
Banin A and Navrot J 1976 Comparison of modified montmorillonite to salts and chelates as carrier for micronutrients for plants. I. Supply of copper, zinc and manganese. Agron. J. 68, 353–358.
Navrot J and Banin A 1976 Comparison of modified montmorillonite to salts and chelates as carrier for micronutrients for plants. II. Supply of iron. Agron. J. 68, 358–361.
Banin A, Navrot J and Ron J 1980 Tree implanted zinc-bentonite paste as a source of slow release zinc for ‘Delmas’ pecan. Hort Science 15, 182–184.
Hill J 1980 The remobilization of nutrients from leaves. J. Plant Nutr. 2, 407–444.
Hoffman M and Samish R S 1966 The control of zinc deficiency in apple. Israel J. Agric. Res. 16, 105–113.
Kadman A and Cohen A 1974 A rapid method for curing chlorotic avocado trees. Yearb. Calif. Avocado Soc. 56, 159–165.
Lindsay W L and Norvell W A 1978 Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese and copper. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 42, 421–428.
Navrot J and Banin A 1975 Tomato plant response to iron supply in various carrier forms. Plant and Soil 42, 309–312.
North C P 1962 Technique for injecting substances into woody plants.In A decade of synthetic chelating agents in inorganic plant nutrition. Ed. Wallace A. Los Angeles CA. pp 138–142.
Worley R E, Littrell R L and Dutcher J D 1980 A comparison of tree trunk injection and implantation of zinc capsules for correction of zinc deficiency. J. Arboric. 6, 253–257.
Worley R E and Polles, S G 1976. Pressure trunk injection promissing for pecan and other trees. Hort Science 11, 590–591.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Navrot, J., Banin, A. Trunk implanted zinc-bentonite as a source of zinc for apple trees. Plant Soil 69, 85–95 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02185707
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02185707