From: Bernardita Sallato, Extension Specialist, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University; Tianna DuPont, Extension Specialist, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University; David Granatstein, Sustainable Agriculture Specialist and Professor Emeritus, Washington State University. Revised December 2022. Download PDF EM119E
Table 2. Nutrient extraction in pounds of element per ton of fruit harvested.
| Crop | Nitrogen (N) Lbs/ Ton | Phosphorous (P) Lbs/ Ton | Potassium (K) Lbs/ Ton | Calcium (Ca) Lbs/ Ton | Magnesium (Mg) Lbs/ Ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 0.9 – 2.1 | 0.2 – 0.4 | 2.0 – 3.9 | 0.1 – 0.3 | 0.1 – 0.2 |
| Green apple | 3.1 | 0.4 | 3.4 | – | – |
| Apricot | 8.3 – 11 | 1.3 | 6.6 | – | – |
| Cherry | 1.9 – 5.0 | 0.5 – 0.9 | 2.9 – 6.3 | 0.3 – 0.4 | 0.2 – 0.4 |
| Peach | 4.5 – 12 | 1.2 | 8.1 | – | – |
| Pear | 1.3 – 2.7 | 0.6 | 3.0 | – | – |
Nutrient extraction by crop yield can help estimate nutrient maintenance rate. Multiply your yield in tons per acre, by the value provided in the table. The result corresponds to the amount extracted by the crop per acre. This value, minus the supply, provides an estimate of the rate in pounds needed.
References: Cheng and Raba, 2009, Weinbaum et al. 1992, Sallato et al (2022) and Sallato et al (2024)
