CONTEXT China has the largest apple cultivation area worldwide, and the theoretically recommended fertilization with the upper limits of 360-340-240 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) for chemical N-P2O5-K2O fertilizers has been established since 2005. Unfortunately, the recommended fertilization regimes are rarely employed by farmers and the severe overfertilization is currently prevalent in China's apple orchards. OBJECTIVE We quantify the potentials of fertilizer reduction and environmental mitigation for apple production systems based on a survey of 657 farmers in irrigated and rainfed apple-producing regions on China's Loess Plateau, ultimately identifying an effective strategy for sustainable apple production systems achieving agronomic-environmental-economic benefits. METHODS In this study, the data on orchard management practices (i.e., fertilization) were collected by conducting questionnaire-based interviews with 657 apple growers from irrigated and rainfed apple-producing regions. The grouping method was used to divide the 657 smallholders into LL (low-yield, low PFP-N (partial factor productivity of N fertilizer); n = 260), LH (low-yield, high PFP-N; n = 89), HL (high-yield, low PFP-N; n = 141), and HH (high-yield, high PFP-N; n = 167) groups. Fertilizer response function, life cycle assessment, and economic analysis were performed to address optimum fertilization, environmental impacts and mitigation potentials, and economic benefits. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The maximum-yield application rates of chemical N-P2O5-K2O fertilizers were 496-333-454 kg ha(-1) for irrigated orchards and 697-489-348 kg ha(-1) for rainfed orchards, respectively. Eutrophication potential was greater in the irrigated region, while global warming and acidification potentials were greater in the rainfed region, and environmental pollution index of farmer strategies were ranked HL > LL > HH > LH. Apple yields and net returns were higher in rainfed than in irrigated orchards across all farmer groups, with the highest yields and returns in the rainfed HH group. High labor cost is the primary factor limiting economic benefits, irrespective of irrigated and rainfed apple production systems. Notably, the HH group can improve apple yield by 6-39%, reduce environment impacts by 15-49%, and increase economic returns by 17-58% compared to LL, LH, and HL. Therefore, we conclude that farmers' best management of the HH group provide strategies for balancing yield-environmental-economic benefits in irrigated and rainfed apple production systems. SIGNIFICANCE Our results established a practiceable rather than theoretically abandoned strategy for apple growers developing an environmental-friendly apple production system in China, providing an experiment for the world optimizing fertilization in apple orchards with limited rainfall and infertile soils.