APPLEAn apple a day keeps the doctor away

Taxonomy

•Malus sylvestris

•Rosacae

PLANT

• May reach up to height of 40 feet or more.

• But various cultural practices , commercial grower keep their

root stock less then this, almost half.

• Tress on recently developed dwarf varieties.

• Development of dwarf apples is so changing that much of the

older information on culture and ,pollination and harvest of this

crop may no longer be applicable.

• Many of older plants were spaced 40 by 40 feet and took 25

years to reach their maximum production of 500 bushels per

acre.

• Using dwarf varieties the farmers can have 1000 trees per acre

and can expect a production of around 900 bushels in 6 years.

Inflorescence

• Apple flower cluster made up of about six

flowers , is produced on a 1 – 3 year old

woody shoot ½ inch to 2 inches

long, called spur.

• Primary or king bud opens first, and

usually produces the choicest fruit.

• If the king bloom fails, the lateral blooms

which open a day or more later, can also

produce fruit.

Inflorescence

• However that the lateral flowers are much

more likely to shed making the

preservation of the king bud still more

important.

• Five pinkish white petals of the 1 to ½ inch

broad and pleasantly scented blossom.

• Shed few days after they open, but the five

green sepals persist in dried shriveled state

in the blossom end of the mature fruit.

Inflorescence

• Average blossoming period for apple

is 9 days.

• Cool weather lengthens it.

• Hot , dry and windy weather shortens

the period.

• Bee activity around apple is greatest

at around 9 am.

FLOWER & HONEYBEES

Period of bloom is short and frequently weather changes and is unfavorable for bee activity.

Pollen and nectar both are eagerly collected by honey bees

Important in spring build up in honey bee colonies

Apple flower produce both nectar and pollen in abundance

More nectar then most of the other deciduous plants

Frost

•Yield reduction

•Due to inadequate cross

pollination

•Bees not so active

Pollinators

•Wind

•Wild bees

•Honey bees

Bee On Apple

Bee In Apple Blossom

Bee On APPLE Pollens

APPLE TRIANGLE

Pollination Methods

• Recommended is 1 colony per acre.

• Pollens tube at the entrance of colony.

• Strength of colony is important.

• 100 colonies at every 2-3 miles.

• Colony usually placed at the center of the

field.

THANK YOU