POLLINATION STUDIES IN APPLE (Malus x domestica Borkh.)
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Date
2018-10
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UHF, NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present study entitled, “Pollination studies in Apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.)” was
carried out in the experimental farm of Horticulture Research and Training Station and Krishi Vigyan
Kendra, Kandaghat, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal
Pradesh, for two years during the years 2017 and 2018. The study was centered around to know the
flowering behaviour of different pollinizers, magnitude of fruit set under different modes of
pollination i.e. selfing by bagging, hand self pollination, open and artificial cross pollination, so as to
select most appropriate cross compatible combinations. Among the seven cultivars studied (3 as main
and 4 as pollinizers), flower bud development passed through three stages (Bud swell, Green tip and
Pink bud). Flowering started in 3rd to 4th week of March, was completed in 13 to 19 days. Flower
morphology showed variation in flower number per bud, petal colour from and stamen number.
Anthesis and dehiscence, 34.86 and 35.02 percent was in ‘Golden Delicious’ between 10:00 am to 12
noon. ‘Gale Gala’ and ‘Gibson Golden’ indicated highest pollen viability (83.87 and 83.93%). Former
cultivar registered 41.68 percent pollen germination in 15 percent sucrose solution. Stigma of
cultivars were receptive two days before and after anthesis, peak was on day of anthesis both under
visual and fruit set method.
Fruit set was highest in open followed by cross and self pollination and least in selfing by
bagging. Both ‘Gale Gala’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ as pollinizer caused higher fruit set in cultivars
while no fruit retention in selfing by bagging and hand self pollination, was highest in open and cross
pollination (‘Golden Delicious’ 44.77% and ‘Scarlet Spur II’ X ‘Gale Gala’ 31.74%). Open
pollination resulted in higher fruit length, diameter and weight (‘Granny Smith’), while fruit length
and weight was better in ‘Early Red One’ X ‘Gale Gala’ and ‘Early Red One’ X ‘Golden Delicious’.
Fruit shape was variable i.e. globose, flat globose and globose conical. ‘Gale Gala’ and ‘Scarlet Spur
II’ X ‘Gale Gala’ had highest TSS content while ‘Gibson Golden’ fruits were most firm (14.53
kg/cm2). Total sugar content was variable, maximum in ‘Scarlet Spur II’ X ‘Gale Gala’ (9.74%) and
maximum sugar – acid ratio in ‘Gale Gala’ (14.20
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