Impact of early cropping on vegetative development, productivity, and fruit quality of Gala and Braeburn apple trees

Abstract

The effects of 5 crop load levels (all fruit removed and 10, 20, 30, and 40 fruit per tree) in the second growing year on vegetative growth, productivity, and fruit quality were studied in apple cultivars Gala and Braeburn on M9 rootstock in the second and the third leaf. An increase in vegetative growth was observed on the defruited trees in the second growing year. The highest crop load of 40 fruits per tree reduced average fruit weight by 18.7% in Gala compared to those obtained on the trees carrying the lowest crop load (10 fruits per tree). The reduction in average fruit weight was compensated by the increase in yields. Yield per tree in the treatment with the highest crop load was 2.4-fold higher in Gala and 2.7-fold higher in Braeburn than the treatment with the lowest crop load. Yield efficiency (kg cm -2 trunk cross-section area) in both tested cultivars ranked the highest on the trees carrying the heaviest crop. The highest crop load in the second growing year did not have negative consequences on the yield and fruit quality obtained in the third growing year.

Timing and rates of application of NAA as blossom and fruitlet chemical thinner on apple cv. and #712;Braeburn and #712;

“…No significant differences for total soluble solids (TSS) and total acidity (TA) in cvs. Gala and Braeburn apples were found as related to crop load (Radivojević et al, 2014), which is similar to our study. In cv.…”

“…Crop load significantly affected fruit weight in apple cv. Braeburn as the fruits with diameter of less than 70 mm were only found on the trees carrying the heaviest crop (Radivojević et al 2014). In FBT + FT, there was no significant difference in total number of fruits in trees thinned with 10 and 15 μl·l -1 NAA, but average fruit weight was lower at 15 μl•l-1 (Fig.…”

“…However, FT with 10 μl·l -1 NAA and FBT + FT with 20 μl·l -1 significantly increased TCSA as compared to other concentrations (Table 2) due to the decreased crop load (Fig. 1) that can significantly affect vegetative growth (Radivojević et al 2014). …”

Optimizing Crop Load for New Apple Cultivar: “WA38”

“…Crop loads 4.1, 6.0, and 7.8 reached and/or exceeded 50 MT/ha (Table 1) in 2017, making them potential targets for management strategies. Radivojevic et al [43] concluded that both "Braeburn" and "Gala" could be loaded up to 13 fruits/cm 2 TCSA in their third growing season to achieve this 50 MT/ha goal. This crop load is clearly much higher than what was assessed here, and what is demonstrated throughout literature.…”

Some Fruit Characteristics of Selected Cornelian Cherries (Cornus mas L.) from Montenegro

“…In addition, morphological characteristics sometimes have correlation or are associated with characteristics that are difficult to evaluate such as disease susceptibility. Therefore, they may be useful as markers in breeding programs (Karimi et al 2009;Koc and Bilgener 2013;Radivojevic et al 2014).…”