Effect of Summer Pruning on Fruit Calcium Concentration and Physiological Disorders in Apple Cultivers Starking Delicious and Golden Delicious


Abstract in English

In this research, we have studied the effects of some summer pruning at the mid June and Juli, in addition to the common periodical winter pruning during February. Both studies were done to evaluate calcium concentration of fruits, quality and yield the apearance of physiological disorders during the storage and fruits. Experiments were conducted on 8 year apple trees of Starking Delicious and Golden Delicious, which are sensiitve to laek of calcium and as a result caused bitter-pit as an important physiological disorder on apple fruits. Summer pruning of apple trees at mid june increases their content of calcium and their colors, also decreases physiological disorder, weight loss during storage, without affecting the annual yield of trees. Accorrding to the attained results, we recommend the farmers of apple trees to follow summer pruning, because of its benefits on improving the condition of trees and achieving the balance between vegetative and generative growth, and reduced the alternate Summer pruning. Also improve the quality of fruits, their storability and their resistance for some physiological disorders during storage.

References used

Cooks, G. W. 1971. The effect of calcium and other minerals on incidence of bitter pit in cox orange apple. N.Z.J. Agric. Res., 5: 202-309
Dallacqua, G. 1994. The contol of bitter pit, mineral deficiencies, apple trees. Terra Trentina, 40(1) p. 34-38
Dodds, K. A., L. J. Penrose, H. Nicol, and C. C. Bower 1994. The importance of pest and disease damage as a cause of commercial downgrading of apple fruit. Australian-Journal-of-Experimental-Agriculture. 34(3)p. 431-434

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