The Study of Pollination and Fruit Set and Determination Suitable Pollinizers for Two Iranian Commercial Apple Cultivars Golab Kohanz and Shafiabadi

Abstract

In order to study pollination and fruit set and determine the best pollinizers for two Iranian apple cultivars, Golab Kohanz and Shafiabadi, experiments were conducted during two years. Different pollen sources including pollen of cultivars Golab Isfahan, Golab Kohanz, Mashhad Nouri, Shafiabadi and also open pollination were used. Pollen sources had significant effects on fruit set, fruit weight, diameter, shape, dry weight, total soluble solids (TSS), sugar and seed contents in cv. Golab Kohanz. Trees pollinated by pollen of Shafiabadi had highest fruit set, fruit weight, diameter, shape, dry weight, TSS., sugar, and seed content. Pollen sources significantly affected fruit set, fruit weight, diameter, shape, and seed content in cv. Shafiabadi. The highest fruit set, fruit weight, diameter, and seed content was resulted from flowers pollinated by Golab Kohanz. Golab Kohanz and Shafiabadi had 3.3% and 0.5% fruit set from self pollination, respectively, and seemed to be completely incompatible. Fruit resulted from self pollination were generally small and of low quality. Regardless to fruits obtained from pollination, different pollen sources had small effects on fruit quality. The results indicated that cvs. Shafiabadi and Mashad Nouri are the best pollinizers for Golab Kohanz and Golab Kohanz was superior pollinizers for Shafiabadi.