The present studies were carried out to standardize nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium requirement of apple nursery plants from 2008 to 2010. Bench grafted plants of apple cv. Red Chief and Vance Delicious were planted in the field at a spacing of 22.5 × 22.5 cm in the month of February at Regional Horticultural Research Station, Bajaura, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh. Three levels of nitrogen (N1=50, N2=100, N3=150 kg/ha), phosphorus (P1=25, P2=50, P3=75 kg/ha) and potassium (K1=50, K2=100, K3=150 kg/ha) were applied. The Experiment was laid out according to factorial RBD with three replications. Full dose of phosphorus, potassium and one-third dose of nitrogen were applied at the time of planting. Rest of the nitrogen was applied in two split doses at monthly interval. The maximum plant height, trunk diameter, plant weight, number of roots and length of roots were recorded with N2, P2 and K2 levels during all the seasons. The interactions among different levels of N, P and K revealed that the highest plant height, trunk girth and plant weight were recorded with N2P2K2 levels. However, the highest number of roots was recorded with N2P2K3 levels and root length with N3P1K2 levels. The lowest plant height, trunk diameter, number of roots per plant and root length was recorded with N3P3K3 levels and plant weight with N3P3K2. It can be concluded from the above studies that N2P2K2 levels can be recommended for obtaining good growth of nursery plants of apple.
Plant height, plant weight, trunk girth, apple
