Journal of Applied Horticulture. 2001: 3(1): 51-52

Effect of self and cross pollination on the fruit set behaviour of some promising apple genotypes

Jana, B R

Department of Fruit Breeding and Genetic Resources, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan 173 230, HP, India.

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.