Is this article suggesting fall fertilization will increase fertility?

See:

Link: www.publish.csiro.au/paper/AR9960047.htm

The significant sentence seems to be: “Most of the season’s N uptake by deciduous trees … redistributed the following spring to support new season leaf and fruit growth.” It suggests that nitrogen fertilizer applied after fruit matures is taken up and stored, and then is used the following spring to support new growth of leaves and fruit.

So, yes, it probably does mean that nitrogen applied at the right time (late summer and fall, I’d think) will increase fruit formation the following year.