Effects of NAA and Carbaryl on Fruit Set and Return Bloom for Some Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) Cultivars

Abstract

This research was conducted in 1997 and 1998 to investigate the effects of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) (5, 10, and 15 ppm), Carbaryl (1-naphthyl N-methylcarbamate) (750, 1000, and 1250 ppm), and NAA + Carbaryl (5 + 750, 7.5 + 750, and 10 + 750 ppm) applications on the return bloom of some standard apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars grafted on MM106 rootstock. Of these applications, 750 ppm Carbaryl for ‘Starkspur Golden Delicious’, 1250 ppm Carbaryl for ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Starkrimson Delicious’, and 5 ppm NAA for ‘Jonagold’ increased the mean number of flower buds significantly, compared with the control treatments. The other treatments of Carbaryl, NAA, and NAA + Carbaryl also increased the mean number of flower buds in a nonsignificant sense with a few exception. A negative correlation between the final fruit set and the mean number of next year's flower buds was found for three cultivars. The correlation coefficients were r = ?0.5150 (P< 0.05), r = ? 0.6999 (P< 0.05), r = ?0.0335 for ‘Starkspur Golden Delicious’, ‘Granny Smith’, and ‘Jonagold’ cultivars, respectively. However, this relationship was positive and nonsignificant for ‘Starkrimson Delicious’ (r = 0.1980).     

The King Fruit versus Lateral Fruit Thinning Effects on Yield and Fruit Quality in Apple

ABSTRACT

This research was conducted to determine the king versus lateral fruit thinning effects on yield and fruit quality of ‘Elstar’, ‘Granny Smith’, ‘Starkrimson Delicious’, ‘Ultra Red’, ‘Topred’, and ‘Jonagold’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) cultivars grafted on MM106 rootstock in 2002-2003. Removal of the king fruit (KFR) treatment partially increased the yield in ‘Jonagold’, ‘Elstar’, and ‘Granny Smith’ cultivars while the effects were different by years in “Starkrimson Delicious”. Leaving of the king fruit (KFL) treatment gave better results in the ‘Topred’ cultivar, and similar effects were obtained from both treatments in ‘Ultra Red’ cultivar. Non-significant differences were obtained from both treatments with respect to fruit weight in the ‘Topred’, ‘Starkrimson Delicious’, ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Granny Smith’ cultivars. Leaving of the king fruit treatment increased the fruit weight significantly in ‘Elstar’ and ‘Ultra Red’ cultivars in 2002. The values of fruit flesh firmness (lb), total soluble solids content (%), pH, titratable acidity (%), total and invert sugar quantity (g/100 g^?1) were not found to be significantly different between the treatments with a few exceptions. The ‘KFR’ treatment that removed the dominant effect of the king fruit can be recommended for the ‘Elstar’ and ‘Jonagold’ cultivars because this treatment increased the yield and did not decreased the fruit weight significantly in these cultivars except for ‘Elstar’ in 2002. On the other hand ‘KFL’ treatment can be recommended for the ‘Granny Smith’, Topred’ and ‘Ultra Red’ cultivars. Although this treatment decreased the yield of ‘Granny Smith’ it increased the mean fruit weight 45.6-62.7 g in the two experiment years. ‘Starkrimson Delicious’ did not show clear response to the treatments.     

Mentor pollen effect on the in-vivo germination of self-incompatible apple pollen

Investigations were carried out to ascertain to what extent “mentor pollen” can influence the performance of self pollen in apple styles. Self-incompatible ‘Starkrimson’ flowers on branches, placed at room temperature or in a growth chamber, were (1) self-pollinated, (2) cross-pollinated with compatible untreated or (3) irradiated (150 krad) ‘Golden Delicious’ pollen, or (4) pollinated with a mixture (2:1 w/w) of irradiated (mentor) pollen and self pollen. After 18 h, nearly the same proportion (> 90%) of the self-incompatible pollen had germinated on the stigma and penetrated the apical part of the style as compatible pollen. However, subsequent growth of the self-pollen tubes was inhibited. After 48 h, less than 1% had reached the stylar base as compared with 21–24% of the compatible pollen tubes. Irradiation strongly impaired pollen vitality: only 1% of the tubes had reached the base of the style after 48 h. The mixture of the irradiated mentor pollen and self pollen performed better. In this case, 6.4–9.9% of the tubes was observed in the basal part of the style, inferring that tube growth of the self pollen was significantly promoted by the mentor pollen.     

Sind Pollenspritzungen oder Pollendispenser Alternativen zur herkömmlichen Bestäubung der Apfelbäume durch Bienen?

The efficacy of different methods of applying cv. ‘Golden Delicious‘ pollen to ‘Cox Orange‘ apple trees inside insect-proof cages was investigated: (1) spraying pollen suspended in water directly into the trees while they were in bloom (treatment A); (2) pollen transfer by honeybees (treatment B) or by bumblebees (treatment C), both of which had to pass through a dispenser loaded with cv. ‘Golden Delicious‘ pollen; (3) transfer by honeybees of pollen from cv ‘Golden Delicious‘ trees bearing compatible pollen and maintained in pots within the same cages (treatment D). Naturally pollinated cv. ‘Cox Orange‘ apple trees outside the cages in the orchard served as controls. For methods A–C normal commercially available ‘Golden Delicious‘ pollen was used for hand pollination, and its efficacy was assessed with reference to the amount of fruit that set. The fruit-set at the time of harvesting differed significantly (Nemenyi test) with the different methods of pollination: 1.0% (±2.0) of the blossoms ripened to yield marketable apples after treatment A, 6.1% (±5.2) after treatment B, 4.9% (±4.6) after treatment C, and 20.4% (±11.5) after treatment D, while the corresponding figure for the control trees was 7.3% (±2.8) and that for hand pollination, 41,9%. The low fruit-set after an aqueous suspension of cv. ‘Golden Delicious‘ pollen was sprayed on the test trees shows that this procedure did not result in adequate pollination. The density of pollen grains was determined on filter papers during spraying and was an average of 3 (±2.6, range 0.0–8.6) pollen grains/cm². When the pollen dispensers were used, the fruit-set was lower than on the hand-pollinated control trees. Despite the success of manual pollination with exogenous cv. ‘Golden Delicious‘ pollen, pollen spraying to enhance pollination, as specified in current instructions, cannot be recommended for commercial apple growing in Germany.     

Use of 6-benzylamino purine and Promalin for improved canopy development in selected apple cultivars

Foliar sprays of Promalin (gibberellins A_{4 + 7} + 6-benzylamino purine) applied to 1-year-old apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) trees at the 3–5-cm growth stage significantly increased lateral branching in 5 of 9 cultivars tested. Branching response ranged from 0% (‘Winter Banana’) to 131% (‘Starkrimson Delicious’) of the untreated controls. Total shoot growth was not consistently increased by 6-benzylamino purine or Promalin in tests over 3 years on spur and non-spur 1- and 2-year-old apple trees. Sprays of 50–300 mg l⁻¹ Promalin were ineffective for increased branch development. Sprays of 300–500 mg l⁻¹ increased total shoot numbers and reduced average shoot length. Sprays applied prior to new terminal growth in spring were ineffective. Treatment during periods of active shoot growth were generally effective, but periods of stress may have reduced response. Sprays were more effective for inducing lateral shoot formation than dormant heading or delayed dormant heading (pruning) (10 days after full bloom) in ‘Criterion Golden Delicious’. No difference in branching response was observed between BA and Promalin. Addition of a spray adjuvant (Buffer-X) did not affect branching response. Repeat annual single sprays of Promalin applied to dormant pruned trees were generally less effective for stimulating lateral branching than a single application in a given year. Phytotoxicity was associated with Promalin sprays at 300–500 mg l⁻¹ on ‘Delicious’.     

论我国苹果品种的更新问题

‘国光’、‘金冠’、‘红星’、‘倭巾’、‘青香蕉’、‘大国光’等是我国主要栽培的苹果品种:其中‘国光’在辽宁省占比重60%—70%,在山东及黄河故道地区占30%—40%,虽然‘国光’在辽东半岛和胶东半岛适应性强、产量高、耐贮藏,但果个小,着色差在国际市场上缺乏竞争力,而且在黄河故道地区裂果严重,急需进行更新,‘金冠’、‘红星’贮藏性差、‘倭巾’、‘青香蕉’、‘大国光’品质不良,作者根据苹果发展趋势和我国具体条件提出一套更新品种组合.认为‘红富士’、‘华冠’(‘金冠’ב富士’)和‘华帅’(‘富士’ב新红星’)应是我国今后主要更新的品种,三者在生产中所占比重应在80%—90%,后两个品种,一个可代替‘金冠’,一个则代替‘红星’.     

Effect of methanol and gamma irradiation on enzymatic activity of apple pollen

In order to characterize devitalized pollen (which can be used as a “mentor” in mixed pollinations), certain hydrolase activities were spectrophotometrically tested in normal and in methanol or gamma irradiation-treated pollen of Malus domestica Borkh. cultivar ‘Golden Delicious’, and in normal pollen of the cultivar ‘Starkrimson’. Enzymatic activities of methanol-treated pollen were somewhat decreased, except for acid phosphatase which was enhanced over the control. This increase could be due to a higher hydrolysis rate by the alcohol, and/or to enzyme activation after damage of the lytic organelle membranes. Amylase, cellulase, ribonuclease and particularly acid phosphatase activities were stimulated in irradiated pollen. It was hypothesized that there was an enzyme leakage from the lytic compartment following pollen irradiation. On the basis of these data on enzymatic activities, it can be concluded that comparable effects were induced by either methanol or irradiation treatment of apple pollen.     

苹果果实酶促褐变底物及多酚氧化酶活性的研究

 以5个苹果品种为试材，研究了果实的褐变度，绿原酸、儿茶素和表儿茶素含量及多酚氧化酶(PPO)对不同底物的活性。结果表明，‘富士’果实褐变度最高，其次为‘新红星’，‘金冠’最低。3种酚类物质总量新红星和富士最高，金冠最低。儿茶素仅在‘乔纳金’和金冠果实中检测到少量。富士果实绿原酸含量显著高于表儿茶素，新红星和‘王林’表儿茶素含量显著高于绿原酸。以绿原酸为底物，PPO活性新红星最高，其次是富士和金冠，王林最低。以表儿茶素为底物，富士、乔纳金和王林PP0活性显著高于金冠和新红星。以儿茶素为底物，王林PPO活性最高，其次是富士，新红星最低。     

Possible hormonal modes of action of three apple thinning agents

Thinning-experiments were carried out with carbaryl, ethephon (CEPA) and the amide of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAAm) in the apple cultivars ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘King of the Pippins’. In order to get more information on the possible hormonal modes of action of these substances, fruit treated with thinning-agents were analysed for ethylene (C₂H₄), diffusable and extractable indoleacetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin-like substances (GA_s), and compared with water-treated controls.It is thought that the observed reduction in IAA transport is a major factor in the mode of action of all 3 thinning-agents investigated. Auxin transport may be affected directly by the chemicals or via a shift in the mobilizing ability of the treated fruits. The role of other hormones investigated is briefly discussed.     

Einfluss von Erntezeitpunkt und Lagerverfahren auf die Druckstellenempfindlichkeit von Äpfeln

The influence of harvest date and storage method on bruises sensitivity of apples was investigated. The cultivars ‘Braeburn’, ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ were harvested at three times in an interval of 10 days. Fruits have been stored at 2°C in normal atmosphere (cold storage) or in film bags (CA-/ULO-storage; CA?=?Controlled Atmosphere, ULO?=?Ultra Low Oxygen) for three months. Monthly fruits were bruised by a penetrometer applying a range of pressures. One day later the appearance of bruises were evaluated. Increasing pressures resulted in bruises of increasing severity. Early harvest led to less severe bruises. No differences were observed in storage conditions, but duration of storage increased bruise sensitivity of ‘Braeburn’. In comparison of the three cultivars ‘Braeburn’ was less sensitive than ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Golden Delicious’.     

Analysis of S-alleles by PCR for determination of compatibility in the ‘Red Delicious’ apple orchard

Summary

In a previous study, the apple ‘Jonathan’ was shown to be semi-compatible with the ‘Topred’ sport of ‘Red Delicious’, the main cultivar in Israel. This incompatibility led to reduced pollination potency, explaining the low yield obtained from ‘Topred’ rows adjacent to ‘Jonathan’. Hence, the importance of identifying the level of compatibility for all ‘Topred’ pollinators became apparent. By analysing S-allele by PCR with primers for the various S-alleles of the cultivars in the ‘Topred’ orchard, including S10 and S28, which were cloned in this study, it was evident that apart from ‘Jonathan’, the common pollinators for ‘Topred’ are fully compatible with it. The ability to identify all S-alleles in the ‘Topred’ orchard was also utilized to resolve the observation that, although ‘Topred’ is considered self-incompatible, self-pollinated, net-caged, ‘Topred’ flowers set some fruit. Applying PCR-analysis of S-alleles to the progeny of the suspected self-pollinated ‘Topred’ fruit revealed that the fruit-set was the outcome of cross-pollination, perhaps the consequence of fertilization by wind carried pollen. Hence, the notion that ‘Topred’ is totally self-incompatible was confirmed and the efficiency of progeny PCR S-allele analysis for the determination of the pollen donor was exhibited.     

3个设施或露地栽培常用杏品种光合特性的研究

 ‘凯特’杏是目前山东果树设施栽培的主要品种, 一些地方也用‘金太阳’杏和‘大果’杏等品种进行设施栽培。通过测定露地栽培6年生凯特、金太阳和大果杏的光合特性, 对其进行了评价比较。结果显示: 凯特、金太阳和大果杏的光补偿点分别是42、39 和46 μmol·m ^-2 · s^-1 , 光饱和点分别是1 050、1 452和965μmol·m ^{- 2} ·s^{- 1} , 3个品种的CO₂ 补偿点和饱合点分别是60.3、87.5和66.7μmol·m ^{- 2} ·s^{- 1} , 682、856和973μmol·m ^{- 2} ·s^{- 1}。温室中的光照能够达到凯特、大果杏的光饱和点, 在光饱和点时凯特的光合速率约是大果杏的2倍, 大果杏的光合需要更高的CO₂。普通温室的光照几乎不能达到金太阳的光饱和点, 尽管金太阳的光合速率在更高的光照条件下更高。由此可见凯特更适于温室栽培, 而金太阳则需要光照条件更好的温室。     

Relations between the concentration of diffusable and extractable gibberellin-like substances and the alternate-bearing behaviour in apple as affected by chemical fruit thinning

The levels of diffusable and extractable gibberellin-like substances (GA_s) of apple fruits were investigated in the alternate-bearing ‘King of the Pippins’ and the regularly fruiting ‘Golden Delicious’, using the barley endosperm bioassay. During 1977 and 1978 there were marked differences between the two cultivars in both the chronological appearance and the absolute amounts of diffusable GA_s. The application of fruit-thinning chemicals (carbaryl, ethephon, NAAm) to ‘King of the Pippins’ suppressed the early increase of GA_s in diffusates, which normally occurs during the second week after full bloom. The following year, the thinned trees exhibited heavy flower- and fruit-set, while the untreated control trees showed a very poor bloom. The later appearance of the GA peak in diffusates from fruits of ‘Golden Delicious’ (5 weeks after full bloom), was not accompanied by a similar inhibitory effect on subsequent flowering.In contrast to their effect on the levels of diffusable GA_s, the thinning-treatments caused no real change in the amount of extractable GA_s, which was very similar in fruits from both cultivars.     

Spezifisches Gewicht neuer Apfelsorten

At the Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Laimburg the specific weight of 121 apple varieties from the own variety collection was measured by a hydrostatic method (Archimedes principle) from 2007 to 2013. For this purpose samples of 10 apples per cultivar were collected mainly from the sites of Laimburg (220?m asl) and Laces (700 meters asl) and were examined annually at the same period with uniform fruits equal in size. The cultivars could be classified in specific weight classes from 0.75 to 0.91?g/cm³. 76% of the varieties were assigned to the middle classes since they had specific weights ranging from 0.80 to 0.86?g/cm³. ‘Golden Delicious’ was included within the specific “very light” varieties while ‘Braeburn’, ‘Nicoter Kanzi®’ and ‘Scifresh Jazz®’ were classified as “very heavy” varieties. The year and location do not significantly influence the specific weight, since this parameter depends rather on genetically caused factors such as the intercellular volume and the dry matter content of the fruit. The specific gravity can be an interesting complementary information to describe an apple variety.     

Sexual compatibility within and between olive cultivars

Summary

Self- and cross-incompatibility of the olive cultivars Frantoio, Manzanillo, Kalamata, Pendolino, and Picual were investigated using a 5 × 5 diallel matrix. Pistils were collected seven days after controlled pollinations on the day of flower opening, and pollen tubes were detected by fluorescence microscopy. Diallel analysis showed significant specific combining ability, general combining ability and reciprocal effects between cultivars for pollen tube growth in the pistil. ‘Frantoio’ was cross-compatible, as either a male or female parent, with each of the other cultivars, but showed a high degree of self-incompatibility. ‘Manzanillo’, ‘Kalamata’, ‘Pendolino’, and ‘Picual’ were crossincompatible, and all except for ‘Manzanillo’, were self-incompatible. It is concluded that ‘Frantoio’ is a good general polleniser for the other cultivars investigated. Pollen tube growth decreased in discrete steps from stigma to upper style, and from upper style to lower style, with the result that only one, and rarely more, pollen tube penetrated ovules. The sex ratio of flowers, and pollen viability using fluroescein diacetate staining and in vitro germination, were examined. ‘Frantoio’, ‘Manzanillo’ and ‘Pendolino’ had more than 80% perfect flowers, while ‘Kalamata’ and ‘Picual’ had less than 30%. ‘Frantoio’ had the highest pollen viability, ‘Kalamata’ and ‘Picual’ were intermediate, and ‘Manzanillo’ and ‘Pendolino’ the lowest. Pollen staining and both in vitro and in vivo germination provided the same male fertility rankings of cultivars.     

Hormonal regulation of physiological leaf spot and premature leaf abscission in ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees

Exogenous growth substances (GA₄₊₇, IAA, PBA, and ABA) alone and in combination were applied as leaf dips to young ‘Golden Delicious’ apple trees in a growth room at 21 °C. All treatments containing GA₄₊₇ accelerated the incidence of physiological leaf spot over treatments without GA₄₊₇, ABA alone delayed the appearance of leaf spot. PBA, PBA + GA₄₊₇, and PBA + GA₄₊₇ + IAA retarded the abscission of spotted leaves.GA₄₊₇ and GA₄₊₇ + PBA also accelerated leaf spot development in bearing ‘Golden Delicious’ trees in the orchard.Fumigation of apple trees with ethylene at 2, 10, and 20 ppm had no influence on the occurrence of leaf spot or premature abscission.     

Effect of Different Treatments on Branching of Some Apple Trees in Nursery

This study was conducted to determine effect of different treatments on branching of one-year-old ‘Fuji’, ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Red Delicious, Red Chief’ trees which grafted on M9 rootstock. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (Pseudomonas BA-8) strain, 6?Benzyl Adenin (BA) and pinching were used to promote branching. The BA (300?ppm) and BA-8 (10⁹CFU/ml) were applied to first twenty centimeters of the top part of trees. The BA, BA-8 and Pinching was applied to trees at 75?cm in length. According to our results, BA-8 and pinching increased number of branches compared to control and BA treatments for all cultivars. BA-8 increased number of branches in ‘Fuji’, ‘Red Delicious, Red Chief’ and ‘Granny Smith’ from 2.71, 1.70 to 4.25 branches/tree, respectively while pinching increased 1,95 branches/tree in ‘Red Delicious, Red Chief’ and 4,01 branches/tree. The highest branch’s angle was obtained from BA-8 bacteria in ‘Fuji’ (64.46°), and ‘Red Delicious, Red Chief’ (52.08°) and ‘Granny Smith’ (56.91°). BA-8 bacteria treatment was found alternative practice instead of pinching in terms of branching performance.     

Studies on the hawthorn (Crataegus azarolus L.): III. A potential rootstock for ‘Golden Delicious9 apple and ‘Williams’ pear

Seedlings of the hawthorn Crataegus azarolus L. were budded with ‘Williams’ pear and ‘Golden Delicious’ apple and followed for compatibility, growth control, precocity and suckering. Four years of observations indicated that the hawthorn is compatible with ‘Williams’ and ‘Golden Delicious’, conferring growth control and precocity; and producing suckers profusely. On the other hand, bud break in ‘Williams’ started 10 d earlier and gave longer shoots than ‘Golden Delicious’. Delayed symptoms of incompatibility and long-term reciprocal influences require further study.     

Storage conditions and ripening of papaya ‘Bentong’ and ‘Taiping’

The optimum storage and ripening temperature for the 2 cultivars was approximately 20°C. Both cultivars ripened earlier after exogenous application of C₂H₄ combined with the removal of CO₂. The storage life of the fruits could be extended by maintaining them in an atmosphere devoid of C₂H₄ but containing 5% (v/v) CO₂ and with a high relative humidity. Chilling-injuries occurred at temperatures below 15°C when the papayas were stored for more than 7 days. The nutritional value of ripe fruit decreased rapidly with prolonged storage. At the “eating-ripe” stage, the glucose, protein and ascorbic acid contents were 2.23 g, 209 mg and 33 mg per 100 g pulp in ‘Bentong’, and 2.15 g, 196 mg and 30 mg per 100 g pulp in ‘Taiping’, respectively.