Effect of planting density on growth, yield and fruit quality of apple cv. Jeromine

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different planting densities on growth, yield and fruit quality of three-years-old apple trees during 2017–2018. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design consisting of four treatments of planting densities viz., 5333 trees/ha (2.5 m × 0.75 m), 4000 trees/ha (2.5 m × 1.0 m), 3200 trees/ha (2.5 m × 1.25 m) and 2666 trees/ha (2.5 m × 1.5 m) and each treatment was replicated six times. The maximum annual shoot growth (44.58 cm) and increase in tree height (42.55 cm) was recorded in planting density of 2666 trees/ha (2.5 m × 1.5 m) which was significantly higher than all other planting densities. Highest fruit yield per tree (4.93 kg/tree) was observed in high density 2666 trees/ha (2.5 m x (17.50 tonne/ha) was recorded in planting density of 5333 trees/ha (2.5 m x 0.75 m). Maximum fruit length (65.90 mm), fruit diameter (76.07 mm), fruit weight (177.45 g), sugars content and anthocyanin content was found in planting density of 2666 trees/ha (2.5 m x 1.5 m). On the basis of two-years study, it can be concluded that the planting densities of 3200 trees/ha (2.5 m x 1.25 m) and 2666 trees/ha (2.5 m x 1.5 m) could be the optimum density for higher production of quality fruits.