The influence of organic, organo-mineral and mineral fertilizers on tree growth, yielding, fruit quality and leaf nutrient composition of apple cv. ‘Golden Delicious Reinders’

•Organic, organo-mineral and mineral fertilizers were used for fertilization of apple orchard with ‘Golden Delicious Reinders’ cultivar.•Manure improved yield per tree and yield efficiency, whereas the highest tree size was observed in control treatment.•Fertilizers had less impact on the fruit physical properties compared to chemical ones.•Compound NPK, organo-mineral ITP fertilizer and manure induced ideal balanced leaf nutritional values.•PCA can be a very useful tool for segregating fertilizers which induced the best tree growth, fruit physico-chemical traits and antioxidant activity of apple. This work was carried out to obtain data about the vegetative growth, productivity, fruit external and internal quality and leaf nutrient composition of apple cv. ‘Golden Delicious Reinders’ from different fertilization regimes, with reference to their role in tree and fruit growth and development, especially for their specific recommendations. Organic, organo-mineral and mineral fertilizers were applied to soil during three consecutive years. Results showed that organo-mineral fertilizer called Italpolina (ITP) and N fertilizer called calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) increased TPC, antioxidant activity, acidity, FW and D. Compound NPK induced the best values of SSC, TS and IS contents and TFC. Urea as a physiologically acidic N fertilizer mostly affected TS/TA and SSC/TA ratios. Interestingly, manure conditioned the best values of yield per tree and unit area and YE, while the greatest tree vigor was found in the control treatment (without fertilization). In paradox, the lowest tree growth was observed by CAN and compound NPK, i.e. fertilizers with high N contents. Compound NPK, organo-mineral ITP fertilizer and manure induced ideal balanced leaf nutritional values, followed by CAN and urea. Besides, it is highly important that experts and growers are encouraging the application and use of organic and organo-mineral fertilizers to increase soil fertility and its quality. Thus, the applied fertilizers behaved differently in terms of the impact on the tested properties. One improved agronomic properties, while the other improved pomological traits, nutritional value of fruits and the amount of elements in the leaf. However, cattle manure, organo-mineral Italpolina and compound NPK fertilizer could be recommended generally for fertilizing the ‘Golden Delicious Reinders’ apple on M.9 T337 in similar soil and climatic conditions. PCA can be a useful tool for segregatio