Biennial or alternate bearing is characterized by an abundance of blooming and fruiting in “on” years and a lack of blooming and fruiting in “off” years. Biennial bearing in fruit tree production has been extensively studied. However, it continues to be problematic in certain crops and cultivars. Fundamental physiological mechanisms controlling this behavior are still poorly understood. Along with carbohydrates in plant tissues, reserve nitrogen influences early-season growth in apples, with the percent contribution of reserve nitrogen being dependent on the current nitrogen supply. Because flowering and fruit set occur in spring alongside bud break, reserve nitrogen can significantly affect these processes too. We sought to understand the role carbohydrate and nitrogen storage in various plant tissues has on biennial bearing for ‘Honeycrisp’ apple. Apical buds, terminal shoots, and one-year-old spurs were collected in 2022
