Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the influence of mulching cultivation using moisturepermeable polyethylene nonwoven fabric on soil moisture, tree growth, and fruit quality in scions of 12-year-old apple (‘New Jonagold’) trees grafted onto JM1, JM7, and M.9vf rootstocks.
1) Although mulching resulted in a decrease in soil moisture, the soil remained rather humid (pF, approximately 2.0).
2) Shoot elongation and fruit weight in trees grown under mulching cultivation appeared to be lower than those in the control condition, irrespective of the rootstock. This might be attributed to the decrease in soil moisture.
3) Peel color at the calyx end of fruits appeared to improve with mulching, irrespective of the rootstock. Peel color at the equatorial region of fruits from scions grafted on JM7 and M.9vf was not affected by mulching, whereas it was reduced by mulching in the case of scions grafted on JM1.
4) Mulching did not affect the Brix or acidity values of the fruits, regardless of the rootstock.
