Australian growers suspect the nitrate content is affecting the color of their apples

The Tasman District Council reports that some apple growers on the Waimea Plains, near Nelson, Australia, believe that elevated nitrate levels in the water are affecting their crops. Apple growers are extremely concerned about this, while the high nitrate content can also pose a threat to public health. Nitrate levels in the aquifers beneath the plains have long been a concern. A study by the Tasman District Council in 2016 found that concentrations in some areas did not meet national drinking water standards. Testing of some wells in 2019, arranged by Waimea Plains landowner Cathy Hughson and fellow Tasman District resident Lew Solomon, also showed that some nitrate levels ...