What leaf test levels of nutrition can tell us about fruit quality attributes

2016 | Kevin Dodds, NSW DPI | Future Orchards® trial report

This Future Orchards® resource focuses on what leaf test levels of nutrition can tell us about fruit quality attributes. It brings the subject into a practical orchard-management context, with attention to measurable production, fruit-quality and business outcomes rather than treating the topic as an isolated technical exercise.

The trial was replicated across Orange and Batlow using Pink Lady blocks selected for contrasting colour performance. The report documents block selection in February 2016 and uses leaf-nutrition testing alongside fruit-quality observations to examine whether nutrient patterns can help explain differences in colour and marketable quality.

For growers, the resource is most useful as a decision-support reference: combine the technical principles with local block data, site conditions, labour constraints and market requirements, then monitor whether the chosen strategy improves consistency and profitability over time.