Seasonal nitrogen (N) accumulation patterns of fruits, leaves, stems, branches, trunk and roots of mature, cropping peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch cv. O'Henry) trees were estimated by combining models of organ dry mass accumulation and seasonal organ N concentrations. Data for the models were collected from trees subjected to two different N treatments. The study estimates and compares the N
... [Show full abstract] demand of perennial and annual organs during the growing season for both treatments. Although N demand was higher for N-fertilized trees, seasonal N accumulation patterns were similar for both treatments. Annual organs exhibited greater responses to N fertilization than perennial organs. The average daily N demand per tree remained nearly constant from 40 days after anthesis to harvest. Fertilized trees accumulated about 1 g N·tree-1·day-1, twice that of non-fertilized trees. For the orchard studied, a daily demand of approximately 1 kg N·ha-1 was estimated for fertilized trees while approximately 0.5 kg N·ha-1 was required for unfertilized trees. During the first 25-30 days, all N demand could be supplied by storage organs. The release of N from storage organs for current growth was apparently completed in about 75 days in both treatments.