Apple Trees Breeding Features:

Apple, long cultivated in turkey, is one of the leading fruits of other temperate climates in terms of production and area. Globally, apple production is around 95.84 million metric tons, and China is the world’s top producer.Other major apple-producing countries include the United States, Poland, Italy, and France.

Climate Demand:

The apple is a temperate, especially cold temperate climate plant. It grows above 800 m in the Mediterranean Region. High light intensity provides very good color formation in apples. Although the apple tree is resistant to harsh winters with low temperatures, it also does not like high summer heat. Because at high temperatures, plant growth slows down or stops.

Apple is a type of fruit that needs winter rest, and its cooling requirement is longer than other fruits.Cold resistance decreases towards the spring months and the plant becomes most sensitive to cold during the swelling period of the buds. Immediately after the fall of the petals, the period when the fruits are very small is the period when apples are most sensitive to cold.

When there is not enough cooling, some of the flowers die, and the opening of the remaining flowers is both later and irregular. Thus, late-blooming flowers fall off due to lack of fertilization, in addition, the leaf eyes do not erupt and the tree remains bare.

Soil Requirements:

Soils suitable for apple cultivation are loamy, loamy sandy and sandy loam permeable, moist soils with sufficient lime and humus. In very calcareous soils, yellowness appears in the plant due to the inhibition of iron intake. For apples, soils with a soil depth of 2 m or more and slightly acid character (pH = 6.0-6.5) are preferred. The subsoil structure of the area where the garden will be established should allow root development and the water of the layer where the roots will develop should also be removed.

APPLE ROOTSTOCKS

Seed or clone rootstock is used in apple cultivation.

a)- Seed rootstocks (Generative rootstocks)

The seeds used in rootstock production are taken from wild or cultivated varieties. Rootstocks produce tall trees and show youthful sterility. Varieties grafted on seed rootstock bear fruit late and 15-25 saplings are planted in the garden.

b)- Clone Rootstocks (Vegetative Rootstocks)

The high wages of workers used in pruning, spraying, thinning, harvesting and other gardening works lead growers in our country to modern fruit growing. Vegetatively produced apple clone rootstocks range from very stunted to very vigorous.

Very squat : M8, M9, M27

Squat              :   M26

Semi-Dwarf   :   M7, MM 106

Strong             :   M2, MM 104, MM 111

Very Strong   :  M16, M 25, MM 109, Local and traditional seed rootstocks.

Of these rootstocks, the most used ones in fruit growing today are M 9 and MM 106.

M 9 (Very Stunted)

It is the most used rootstock in the world among dwarf rootstocks. This ensures that the apple varieties to be grafted on the rootstock are stunted by 65-70%. It does not do well on waterlogged bottom lands. They develop better in fertile soil.

They need support throughout their life, from planting. They begin to bear fruit the very next year after planting. In the gardens, the trees are shaped and pruned according to the fine spindle finishing system. The purpose of using this system; From the first years following planting, at an earlier age, by covering the entire land with fruit branches and branchlets, from the unit area. maximum        product           is to be taken.

Trees formed with varieties grafted on the M 9 rootstock remain in the garden for 15-20 years, or even more. On fertile soils, up to 60-70 kg of crops can be obtained per tree.The number of trees per decare is at least 80-100 and 140-150 in fertile soils. 6-8 tons of product can be taken from the decare.

MM 106 (Semi-dwarf)

It is the most preferred rootstock in the world and in our country today, and it is a suitable rootstock for both semi-dwarf (Spur type) rootstocks and especially vigorously growing varieties. They form a very good root system and do not need to support with stakes.It is a rootstock that loves semi-dwarfing very fertile loamy soils, has a root system that can hold well in the soil, and tends to start the spring development period and leaf fall very late. It does not work well in places with drainage problems.

They form semi-dwarf trees, they bear fruit significantly in the 2-3 years following planting. It is a suitable rootstock for both semi-dwarf and especially vigorously growing varieties. Semi-dwarf developing on MM 106 (Starkrimson Delicious,When a garden is to be established from grafted seedlings of Starkspur Golden Delicious varieties, it is necessary to pluck the flowers and not take fruits for 3 years in order to strengthen the trees.A different peak-branched (modified leader) finishing system is recommended when strongly growing varieties are grafted, and a pine-shaped (with a leader and many side branches) is recommended when semi-dwarf varieties are grafted.

APPLE POLLINATION BIOLOGY

Apple varieties cannot be fertilized by their own pollen. They generally need pollen from a different pollinator variety. The ratio of the pollinator variety to the main variety should be 10-15%.According to this ratio, 10-15 out of every 100 seedlings planted should be of the pollinator variety, and 85-90 should be of the main variety. Pollinator varieties should not be more than 12-15 meters away from the main variety.Bees are responsible for 90% of cross-pollination in apples. Therefore, honeybees, which play an important role in pollination, should be placed at a rate of one hive per 4 acres for young orchards.

APPLE VARIETIES:

GALA:

The pulp is yellowish, juicy and firm. A consistently high amount of product is obtained, with dilution, the quality of the fruit increases. It is self-fertile and a good pollinator. In early regions, it can be harvested from mid to late July, and in other regions until mid-August. Rootstocks, M9,M26, M7, MM106.

It is large, juicy, tasty and aromatic.  The fruits are quite

It is large and weighs 235 gr. with an average diameter of 80 mm. The tree develops poorly, grows upright. Spur is a variety. Their pollinator is Golden Delicious and is harvested at the end of September. Rootstocks are M9, M26, M7, MM106.

STARKRIMSON PIERCING:

The tree is of medium strength, develops semi-upright, is very productive. It is collected in mid-September. The planting interval can be 5×3 m, 6×3 m or at most 5×4 m, depending on the strength of the soil when using seed rootstock. It is recommended for all regions where apples are grown.

STARKSPUR GOLDEN PIERCIOUS:

The tree is semi-stunted, it grows upright, a little open, and is very productive. The fruit is large, neat in shape with a golden yellow color, very good quality. It meets in the second week of September. The planting interval can be 5×3 m, 6×3 m or at most 5×4 m, depending on the strength of the soil when using seed rootstock. Fruits can be stored in cold storage until March. It is recommended for all regions where apples are grown.

They are vigorous and high-yielding, and the fruits are large and bulging. It is a summer variety with white and juicy fruit flesh. It is resistant to carrying. It requires 1 or 2 picks in mid-July. Red Delicious and Golden Delicious are pollinators.It can be stored in cold storage for 9 months under suitable conditions.

APPLE ORCHARD PLANT:

While the apple orchard was established;

1. The pollinator variety is diploid (dioecious),
2. the absence of infertility between varieties,
3. Matching the flowering times of the varieties,
4. To ensure that the varieties produce regular crops every year,
5. Keeping a beehive in the garden
6. In terms of pollination, it is necessary to pay attention to the placement of varieties in accordance with the plan.

At the same time, attention should be paid to the planting time of the seedlings, the preparation of the planting site, the planting spacing and shape.

a)- Sapling Planting and Time:

Sapling planting is generally done in the time between leaf fall in autumn and water walking on the trees in spring. In fact, the most suitable period is to plant in autumn in places with mild winters and in spring in places with harsh winters.

First, the injured and broken parts of the roots of the seedlings to be planted are cleaned with scissors. Because planting pruning establishes the trunk-root balance of the tree.

Topsoil is placed in the dug pits and the seedling is placed in the middle of the planting board, the grafting point is facing south and 15-20 cm above the soil level, and filled with soil. In order to avoid air gaps between the roots, the soil must be lightly pressed with the foot and 20-25 liters of life water should be given.

The branchless saplings planted in the spring are cut 65-70 cm. from the grafting point and 85-90 cm. from the ground, 1-2 mm. above a well-developed eye, which can be the leader, after the frost danger has completely passed. If the sapling has less than 3, that is, 1-2 branches, these branches are cut and the sapling is cut over one eye as described above and planted. The grafting point should be 20 cm above the soil level.

b)- Preparation of the Garden Place for Planting:

Deep plowing should be made on the land where the garden will be established, and the soil should be ventilated and sunbathed. In fact, the most important issue is soil leveling. If the land is sloping, care should be taken to make terracing when setting up a garden. In places where the ground water is high, drainage must be done before planting.

Before planting the sapling, soil analysis should be done and necessary applications should be made accordingly. In general, 3-4 tons of burnt farm manure per decare before planting, 25-50 kg per decare. TSP (Triple Time Phosphate) or DAP (Diammonium Phosphate), 20-40 kg per decare. Potassium Sulfate fertilizer applications may be recommended. But it is best to apply fertilizer and other applications to the soil analysis. If a drip or mini-spring system is to be installed, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizers can be given by irrigation.

c)- Features to be Sought in Saplings:

When establishing an apple orchard, certified, correct and old saplings should be preferred, and the saplings should be healthy, their root system, diameter and length should comply with TSE standards.

d)- Determination of Planting Places, Shape and Spacing:

In closed apple orchards, triangular, square, rectangular and contour (on leveling curves) planting is established if the land is sloping. Before planting seedlings, planting points must be determined.

The distances to be given to the trees in apple orchards vary according to the variety, the rootstock used, the soil condition and the climate. In addition, the planting distance is greater in strong, nutrient-rich soils and less in weak soils. In irrigated arid places, frequent planting should be done in order to maintain air and soil moisture, and sparse planting should be preferred to provide aeration in humid places.If the apple orchard is to be established with seed rootstock, it should be between 5×5 m, 5×6 m and 6×7 m. If it is to be established with dwarf rootstocks, the spacing and distance vary according to the characteristics of the dwarf rootstock and the variety to be grafted on it.

ROOTSTOCK	In Standard Strong Varieties (meters)	In Spur (Semi-Stunted) Varieties (meters)	The Number of Trees per Decare (Pieces)
			In Strong Varieties	In Spur Varieties
M27	(4 x 1 ) , (3.5 x 1)	–	250- 280	–
M9	(3.5 x 2), (3.5 x 1.5 )	–	143- 190	–
MM106	(6 x 3), (5x 3 )	(4×3),(4×2.5)	55- 66	83-100
MM111	(6x 3.5)	(5×3),(4.5×3)	47	66-74
Çöğür	(9 x9), ( 8x 8),(7×7), (6×6)	(5×4),6×3),(5×3)	12- 28	50-67

ANNUAL MAINTENANCE OF APPLE ORCHARDS

Tillage:

Tillage is carried out to facilitate the cleaning of weeds, aeration of plant roots and preparation of irrigation arcs. However, this process breaks down the root and fringe system of apple trees, especially those with superficial roots. For this reason, it is sufficient not to plow deep in a way that will break the root system, to do not do deep processing with a plow, and to process it at a depth that will not break the root system with diskharrow.

Irrigation: 

The amount of water to be given to the gardens varies according to the total annual rainfall, the distribution of this rainfall, the severity of water loss from the plant, the size of the tree and the type of soil. Since apple trees have a fringe root system, they require more water than other fruits and like high humidity.

The most important watering time for apple trees is summer irrigation. Because the sooner summer irrigation is started in dry times, the more fruit set increases, and it also helps to increase yield and quality. Summer irrigation is started in May depending on the rainfall and continues throughout the summer.

The most important issue in irrigation is to determine the irrigation time well. The most practical method for this is manual control of the soil. The most suitable form of irrigation is sprinkler and drip irrigation. In drip irrigation, part of the area where the roots are located remains constantly moist.

Fertilization:

The most important point in apple cultivation is to fertilize correctly and in a balanced way, as well as other cultivation applications, in order to get high yield and quality products.

The amount of fertilizer to be given to apple orchards varies according to the tillage method, the character of the soil, the growth power of the tree, its age, and the amount of product received. The best thing is to determine the amount of fertilizer to be given by soil and leaf analysis.In apple orchards, a basic fertilization should be done before planting seedlings, and after planting, the garden should be fertilized every year according to the results of the analysis.Nitrogen fertilizers increase fruit quality, reduce fruit shedding, increase yield, and reduce periodicity (presence or non-existence). The only point to note is that the nitrogen fertilizers given are depleted before the apples ripen.Phosphorus ensures that the tree blooms well and bears fruit.Potassium promotes flowering, reduces periodicity (presence-absence), increases fruit size, flavor and texture frequency, and prolongs storage time.In the spring period, before the buds burst, 100-250 g per tree. Ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate, 150-350 gr. DAP applications per tree to a depth of 10 cm are recommended in the autumn period and as we enter winter.

Fruit Thinning:

When  the environmental conditions are suitable from an apple orchard that is well planned in all aspects, loaded fruits are taken. Trees cannot feed much fruit, so the quality decreases. The excess of these fruits is then excreted through flower and fruit thinnings. Fruit thinning should be done before the fruit eye begins to form, so that the fruits are at the desired level and do not affect the next year’s crop.

Fruit thinning;

• Fruit size,
• Fruit color,
• Quality
• Evolve
• Its effect on regular yielding is enormous.

Fruit thinning; It is applied in the form of destroying part of the flowers or part of the fruit.

Fruit thinning is carried out in 2 ways;

1. Manual dilution; This manual thinning is done by thinning the fruits after the June castings, so that there is a fruit every 15-20 cm on the main branches.
2. Dilution with chemical substances; In this form of thinning, it is done by applying chemicals to the trees during the flower time and the young fruit period after flowering.

Pruning:

A- Modified Leader (Different Peak Branch) Finishing System: 

If this finishing system is started early and studied knowledgeably, the trees will bear fruit earlier as less pruning will be done, less pruning ensures that the fruits are distributed on the strong main branches and thus there is no need for everything. Spraying, harvesting is easy, and sunbathing is good.

Pruning in apples is grouped into four groups:

1. Planting pruning,
2. Shape pruning,
3. Crop pruning,
4. Rejuvenation pruning.

1.Planting pruning;

In planting pruning, the injured parts in the root area of the seedling are removed and the excessively long parts are shortened. It is cut from 80 cm from the grafting point over the outward-facing eye, and if there is a lateral branch, it is cut over one or two outward-facing eyes.

2.Shape pruning:

It is the pruning of the branches starting from the end of the year following the planting in order to shape the crown part of the young sapling.

3.Crop pruning:

Crop pruning is necessary for regular, quality crops every year. Crop pruning should be done every year to maintain healthy and productive fruit eyes on trees. Shoots and branches that grow upright from the branches are cut at the bottom. But of those that develop sideways and outward, only those that make frequent are cut or shortened.

4.Rejuvenation pruning:

Rejuvenation pruning,After the age of 30-35 in order to ensure fruit size and economic production, to be applied on trees pruning. Since rejuvenation pruning is very severe, pruning should be completed in 2-3 years and technical works such as fertilization, irrigation and agricultural control should be carried out carefully. Wound paste must be used in pruning processes.

B-Pruning and Finishing System for Semi-Dwarf (Spur Type) Apples:

In planting pruning, the top of an old seedling is cut from 70 cm over the 25th eye after the grafting point.

In the spring of the first year, the crown branch is not touched, shoots up to 15 cm from the soil surface on the trunk are removed from the bottom. In winter, 1/3 of the selected four roof branches are shortened.

In the second year, those that have developed upright on 4 pre-selected roof branches in winter are shortened by 1/3 of their length that year. On these main branches, branches of the 2nd degree are selected and shortened sufficiently.

Fruits should not be expected from trees for the first 3 years. All flowers that bloom during this time should be plucked.

C- “FINE SPINDLE” Finishing Method Applied in Dwarf (Dense Planting) Apple Orchards

In this system, the trees have a small low roof and small fruit branches that emerge from the leader branch, and the trees need support throughout their lives.

• In this finishing system, where 1 old saplings are used During planting pruning, the top of the seedlings is cut from an average of 80 cm from the soil.
• At the end of the first year, if the tree has shown a balanced and sufficient development, it is sufficient to remove only the extension of the leader branch.
• Branches up to 40 cm from the soil on the main trunk are removed from the bottom.
• All of the side branches should be bent by tying weights with a rope to make a wide angle, and tip removal should not be done on the side branches.

Harvest:

As a fruit, the apple is a thin-skinned, very gentle fruit. Therefore, when harvesting fruits, they should not be taken in the palm of their hands, nor squeezed with fingers. Very careful should be when placing and emptying the fruits in the collection buckets.

Harvest time should be determined correctly. Apple fruits are harvested at the age of tree formation. Fruits reach the death of eating when they are kept in cold storage for a certain period of time.

Summer apples, on the other hand, reach the tree and eating while on the tree. For this reason, summer varieties should be harvested at the time of eating.

Storage:

Harvested apples are stored in warehouses until they are shipped to the market. These warehouses can be ordinary warehouses, cold storages or cold storages with different atmospheres.

Disease and Pests:

The main pest and disease that appears on apples, Apple borer and Apple black spot diseasedIr. In addition, apple powdery mildew and mammalian cake are among the diseases seen.