Department of Fruit Breeding and Genetic
Resources, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry,
Solan 173 230, HP, India.
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Self
incompatibility, one of the main problems causing low productivity of
apple, was studied to determine the suitable pollenizer cultivar. The
experimental materials used included 8- to 9-year-old apple trees of
cultivars Anna, Aziza, Red Baron, Spur Red Delicious, EC161286,
EC161287 and unknown (standard tree having greenish yellow fruit) as the
pollenizers and four cultivars Red Baron, Spur Red Delicious, EC161286
and EC161287 as the female parents. Data on self pollination were
recorded in first year to facilitate cross pollination in the following
year. Controlled pollination was done following the standard method of
emasculation and pollination on selected flower clusters. Fruit set was
calculated 45 days after pollination. In terms of self pollination, Red
Baron recorded the highest fruit set (5.76%) while EC161286 recorded
the lowest fruit set (2.09%). EC161287 and Spur Red Delicious recorded
2.80 and 3.24% fruit set, respectively. In cross combinations, the
highest fruit set (76.17%) was observed in Red Baron x EC 161286, while
the lowest (9.9%) was observed in EC161287 x EC161286. Red Baron as a
female parent recorded the highest average fruit set (21.42%). Among
the seven pollenizers, Red Baron contributed the highest average fruit
set (55.75%) with different female parents, followed by EC161287
(47.10%). Aziza was a very weak pollenizer and contributed only 14.26%
average fruit set with the female parents. |