Apple varieties and rootstocks

Apple Trees varieties and apple rootstocks play a crucial role in the world of horticulture, influencing not only the flavors we enjoy but also the health and productivity of apple trees. From the crisp and tangy Granny Smith to the sweet and juicy Honeycrisp, each apple variety brings its own unique taste and texture. However, the success of these varieties often depends on the rootstocks they are grafted onto. Rootstocks, the underground part of the tree, provide essential support, disease resistance, and determine the tree’s overall size and vigor. Together, apple varieties and rootstocks create a diverse and resilient apple orchard, ensuring a delightful array of apples for our enjoyment.

Apple Rootstocks Production

• Seed-grown seedlings or vegetative rootstocks are used.
• Seeds are taken from wild or cultivated varieties.
• Vegetative apple clone rootstocks range from very stunted to very vigorous.

Dwarf rootstocks

• M27, M8, M9, M26, BUD 9, P 22, EMLA 9, GENEVA 65, EMLA 26, GENEVA 11

Semi-dwarf rootstocks

• M7, MM106, GENEVA 30, EMLA 7, EMLA 106

Vigorous rootstocks

• M2, MM111, MM104

Very vigorous rootstocks

• M16, MM109, M25

M27

• M9 x M13 hybrid.
• It makes a tree of 1.2 m in size, half the size of M9.
• It is very early and fruitful.
• Asks for support.
• It does not form root shoots.
• It is easy to produce with the stool bed layering method.
• Apples are susceptible to cotton weevil.
• The planting density can be 3.5×0.5-1 m.

M9

• Grafted trees do not exceed 2.7 m.
• It is very early and fruitful.
• Asks for support.
• In 15-20 years, it decreases economically.
• It forms a small amount of root shoots.
• It is easy to produce with the stool bed layering method.
• Resistant to root collar rot, susceptible to fire blight and cotton weevil.
• The planting density can be 3.5-4.5×1-2 m.
• Different clones of the M9; Pajam 1, Pajam 2, NAKB T337, FL 56 and RN 29.

M26

• M9 x M16 hybrid.
• It makes as many trees as 50% larger than the M9.
• It requires support, but it can be grown without support.
• It does not form root shoots, but gives a large amount of above-ground shoots.
• Not suitable for heavy and drained soils.
• It has good winter hardiness.
• It is easily produced with steel by stool bed layering method.
• Planting density can be 3.5-4.5×1.5-2.5 m.

M26 Exile

• It makes trees the size of 50-65% of the rootstock.
• It is fertile and adaptable to different soil and climate types.
• It gives the above-ground shoot.
• It is susceptible to cotton weevil, moderately susceptible to fire blight and root collar rot.
• It is easily produced with steel by stool bed layering method.
• Planting density can be 3.5-4.5×2-3 m.

MM106

• Norton Spy and M1 hybrid.
• It makes half as many trees as the rootstock. It does not need support.
• It is recommended on well-drained soils.
• It yields in 2-3 years after planting.
• It is easily produced with steel by stool bed layering method. It does not form a root shoot.
• It is resistant to cotton lice and mealybugs. It is susceptible to root collar rot.
• Planting density can be 3.5-4.5×2-3 m.

MM111

• Northern Spy x Merton 793 hybrid.
• It is easily produced by green steel, wood steel and stool bed methods.
• The planting frequency can be 4-5×3-4 m.
• Resistant to cotton lice and mealybugs, root collar rot.
• It can suit different soil types.
• It makes a tree size of 65-70% of the seed rootstock.

MM109

• It was obtained as a hybrid of M.2 and Northern Spy at John Innes.
• It bears fruit early.
• Resistant to cotton lice.
• Planting density can be 5-7×5-7 m.
• It grows as big as the trees clump on.
• It is very sensitive to waterlogged soils.

Fertilization Biology

• Apple varieties are usually self-infertile, with foreign fertilization, good crops are obtained.
• 90% of pollination is done by bees.
• For young apple orchards, one hive is required for every four decares or 15000-20000 bees for every 30-40 decares.
• For trees that have reached full yield, the amount of bees should be increased 3-4 times.
• Gardens are not sprayed in order to ensure bee work and pollination during flower time.
• Pollinator varieties should be located no further than 12-15 m from the main varieties.
• For effective fertilization, garden layouts must be determined (for example, every 3rd row the 3rd tree is allocated to the pollinator).
  • O O O  O O O O O O O
  • O D O  O D O O D O O
  • O O O  O O O O O O O
  • O O O  O O O O O O O
  • O D O  O D O O D O O
  • O O O O O O O O O O

Apple Varieties

• 6500 apple varieties are registered in the world and 460 in Turkey.
• Varieties that are high in quality and yield and commercially grown are few.
• Apple varieties were formed by natural selection, chance and spontaneous mutations.
• In modern apple cultivation, superior varieties have been obtained by crossbreeding breeding.
• Dwarf apple trees are obtained with weak rootstocks or semi-dwarf developing “Spur type” varieties.
• Spur-type apples, which are common in commercial orchards in America, are popular due to their early fruiting and poor development.

Very Early Season

• Stark Earliest, Vista Bella, Jersey Mac, Beacon, Williams Pride

Mid Season

• Prima, Red Free, Royal Gala, Ozark Gold, Elstar, Anna

Late Season

• Starking Delicious, Golden Delicious, Red Chief, Purple Spur, Cooper 4, Cooper 7 SB 2, Jonagored, Super Early Stripe, Black Staymen Improved, Amasya, Starkrimson Delicious, Skyline Supreme, Fuji, Braeburn, Starkspur Golden, Yellow Spur, Mutsu, Granny Smith

Vista Bella

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium-sized, flat-conical, red on yellow-green
• Taste: Hard, juicy, tart
• Harvest: July 15-25
• Pollinators: Idared, Jerseymac, Prima, Priam

Jerseymac

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium-sized, round-cylindrical, red on a yellow background
• Taste: White fleshy, juicy, aromatic
• Harvest: July 20-30
• Pollinators: Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Idared, Vista Bella

Beacon

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium-sized, round, dark red
• Taste: Hard, juicy, sweet, aromatic
• Harvest: late July-early August
• Pollinators: Granny Smith, Black Staymen Improved

Williams Pride

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium in size, dark red, with a shiny skin
• Taste: Cream-colored, hard, juicy
• Harvest: early August
• Pollinators: Golden Delicious

Red Free

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium in size, bright red
• Taste: Juicy, tasty, aromatic
• Harvest: mid-August
• Pollinators: Golden Delicious

Ozark Gold

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium-sized, cylindrical, bright yellow
• Taste: Hard, juicy, aromatic
• Harvest: End of August
• Pollinators: Starking Delicious, Starkrimson Delicious, Jonathan

Prima

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium-large, cylindrically-conical, red on yellow-green
• Taste: Hard, juicy, tart, aromatic
• Harvest: Mid-season
• Pollinators: Florina, Priam, Vista Bella

Royal Gala

• Origin: New Zealand
• Fruit: Small-medium size, red, firm
• Taste: Sweet, flavored
• Harvest: late August-early September
• Pollinators: Golden Delicious

Anna

• Origin: Israel
• Fruit: Medium-sized, red
• Taste: Sweet, juicy
• Harvest: mid-August
• Pollinators: White Apple

Elstar

• Origin: Netherlands
• Fruit: Medium in size, red on yellow
• Taste: Hard, juicy
• Harvest: early September
• Pollinators: Golden Delicious

Red Chief

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Large, dark red
• Taste: Sweet, flavored
• Harvest: End of September
• Pollinators: Starkspur Golden, Golden Delicious

Purple Spur

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium in size, with light yellow flesh, red
• Taste: Juicy, sweet
• Harvest: End of September
• Pollinators: Starkspur Golden, Golden Delicious

Cooper 4

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium in size, dark red, with light yellow flesh
• Taste: Juicy, sweet, aromatic
• Harvest: End of September
• Pollinators: Starkspur Golden, Golden Delicious

Cooper 7 SB 2

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium-sized, red, with light yellow flesh
• Taste: Sweet, flavored
• Harvest: End of September
• Pollinators: Starkspur Golden, Golden Delicious

Jonagored

• Origin: Belgium
• Fruit: Large , red on yellow
• Taste: Hard, juicy, aromatic
• Harvest: End of September
• Pollinators: Fuji, Granny Smith, Red Delicious

Super Early Stripe

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium-sized, red
• Taste: Sweet, juicy
• Harvest: early October
• Pollinators: Starkspur Golden, Golden Delicious

Black Staymen Improved

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Medium in size, with greenish flesh, red
• Taste: Sour, watery
• Harvest: End of September
• Pollinators: Golden, Starking Delicious, Jonathan

Starkrimson Delicious

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Large, dark red
• Taste: Sweet, juicy
• Harvest: End of September
• Pollinators: Starkspur Golden, Golden, Stark Earliest

Starkspur Golden Delicious

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Large , golden yellow
• Taste: Sweet, flavored
• Harvest: End of September
• Pollinators: Starkrimson, Jonathan, Winesap

Skyline Supreme

• Origin: USA
• Fruit: Large, dark red
• Taste: Firm, juicy, sweet
• Harvest: early October
• Pollinators: Golden Delicious, Jonathan

Fuji

• Origin: Japan
• Fruit: Medium-large, with red stripes on green
• Taste: Sweet, flavored
• Harvest: early October
• Pollinators: Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Jonathan

Braeburn

• Origin: New Zealand
• Fruit: Medium-large, orange-red on green
• Taste: Firm, juicy, sweet
• Harvest: mid-October
• Pollinators: Starking Delicious, Golden Delicious

Mutsu

• Origin: Japan
• Fruit: Large , yellow
• Taste: Hard, juicy
• Harvest: mid-October
• Pollinators: Red Delicious, Starking Delicious, Granny Smith, Beacon

Granny Smith

• Origin: Australia
• Fruit: Medium-large, green
• Taste: Harsh, sour, juicy
• Harvest: mid-October
• Pollinators: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious

Planting seedlings

1. Starting from the long side of the garden, the places for seedlings are marked.
2. Marker stakes are driven into the planting sites.
3. Pits are dug 50 cm wide and 50-60 cm deep.
4. When planting, a planting board should be used.
5. Seedling grafting points should be on the ground.
6. Fertilizing should not be carried out during planting.
7. When planting, attention should be paid to the prevailing winds.
8. After planting, life water should be given.

Qualifications to Look for in Saplings

1. Seedlings should be 1-2 years old.
2. The diameter of 1-year-old seedlings should be 2 cm, and the diameter of 2-year-old seedlings should be 2.5 cm.
3. The height of 1-year-old seedlings should be at least 135 cm, and the height of 2-year-old seedlings should be 145 cm.
4. Seedlings must be healthy and certified.

Determination of Planting Location, Shape and Spacing:

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

50-67

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