Differences in Flower and Spur Characteristics of Apple Cultivars

Abstract

Flower and spur characteristics of eight apple cultivars were determined at bloom and following cell division and related to fruit growth over the season. Flower number per spur was higher in `Jonagold', `Fiesta', `Southern Snap', `Royal Gala', than in `Red Chief Delicious', `Pacific Rose' and `Fuji', and the latter three cultivars also had the lowest total flower dry weight per spur. Generally, pedicel length of the king flower was shorter than the lateral, with `Fuji' having the longest king flower pedicel and `Red Chief' and `Pacific Rose' the shortest. At full bloom, `Jonagold' and `Fiesta' had the most leaves/spur, followed by `Fuji', `Southern Snap', `Royal Gala', `Pacific Rose', with `Red Chief' having fewer leaves/spur than all other cultivars. Leaf area/spur was highest in `Jonagold', `Fiesta', `Royal Gala', and `Fuji', followed by `Southern Snap', with `Red Chief' and `Pacific Rose' having lower leaf areas and fruit set than all other cultivars. At the end of cell division, `Fuji' and `Jonagold' had the highest leaf area per spur and `Fuji' and `Royal Gala' the highest bourse leaf area. `Braeburn' and `Red Chief' had lower bourse leaf areas than all other cultivars. `Royal Gala', `Southern Snap', and `Fuji' had the longest bourse shoots and `Red Chief' the shortest.