Some aspects of crop variation in ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees

Fruit-set of ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees was found to be largely independent of seasonal differences and much more closely related to the initial number of blossom clusters, when compared with many other apple cultivars under English conditions. In one young orchard, yield became increasingly a function of trunk girth during the first 3 cropping-years, but the trees then abruptly developed a biennial rhythm. Thereafter, blossom production was negatively correlated with the number of clusters in the previous year rather than with the number of fruits.Applications of daminozide or GA₃ appeared to increase or decrease, respectively, the amount of return bloom without altering the negative correlation with the number of clusters in the previous year. Chemical fruit-thinning with a mixture of carbaryl and NAA also appeared to be effective in increasing return bloom.