Influence of Old Branches in the Crown upon Fruit Size and Quality of Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.)

Abstract

In 2008-2009, a trial was carried out to determine the relationships between fruit size, fruit quality parameters and age of branches of the trees crown, in order to assess whether age of branches where the bearing branches are inserted is correlated with small size and poor fruit quality in apples. The trial was carried out in a commercial o rchard at SC Agroindustriala SA Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The biological material was represented by four apple cultivars, two of them from type I of fructification (spur) - 'Goldspur' and 'Starkrimson ' and the other two of type III of fructification (standard) - 'Florina' and 'Prima'. The results of the experiments demonstrated, that the fruit size, fruit weight, the sugar content of the fruits and a cidity of fruits were strongly influenced by age of wood where the bearing branches were inserted. The highest fruit diameter was recorded with two and three years support branches age (73.0 mm and 72.5 mm). Starting with the age of forth year of support branches, the fruit diameter have been decr easing, the lowest value of fruit diameter is obtained from 8 year support branches (47.1 mm). Fr uits of highest weight were obtained from variants with two and three years age of wood (189. 8 g and 188.8 g). The sugar content of fruits increased with the older wood where the bearing bra nches were inserted. The highest acidity of fruits with young branches was recorded (two years wood). The lowest value of fruit acidity with oldest wood was obtained.