PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON FRUIT QUALITY OF THE APPLE CULTIVATED IN ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM

Abstract

Known being the increasing demand for ecological fruits, both at national level and on international markets, the apple cultivated in the ecological system in Romania can bring economic and social benefits. The orientation towards apple cultivars with genetic resistance to diseases will be gradually imposed, especially in the case of apple, being the main factor in obtaining ecological productions. The value of the ecological apples, as dessert fruits, depends directly on the following physico-chemical characteristics: size (weight and caliber), content of fruit in soluble solids and acids (specially malic acid), firmness and the color of the epidermis. This work aims to quantify the quality elements of the fruits at the maturity of harvesting for 12 apple cultivars, of different origin (6 with Romanian origin and 6 foreign cultivars), located in a field trial of RIFG Pitești, Romania, managed in ecological system. The preliminary results registered at the level of 2022 show that the fruits size varied from 144.26 g ('Rubinola' cv.) to 306.8 g ('Orion' cv.), and the fruit caliber 71.62 mm ('Crimson Crisp' cv.) to 92.13 mm ('Orion' cv.). The cultivars 'Rumina', 'Topaz' and 'Orion' were noted for the high content of soluble solids (over 14%). 'Rubinola' cv. was noted by the high pH of fruits (4.02) and high acid content (0.88% malic acid).