APPLE

The botanical name of apple is “Malus domestica”. It is an important commercially grown temperate fruit which blossoms in spring season and gives fruit in the autumn season. It is the fourth most widely produced fruit after orange, banana and grapes. Apples are the rich source of Vitamin-C and Beta-carotene.  It is a deciduous tree with an average height of 1.8-4.6m. Among all countries, China is the largest apple producing country. Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir, hills of Uttar Pradesh, and extended to Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim and Meghalaya in which apple farming is done. It is mainly used for making canned slices, candies, juices and jellies. It also has the health benefits. By eating apples, it helps to reduce risk of stroke or heart diseases, brain related issues, type-2 diabetes and cancer.

Loamy soil which is rich with organic matter  is best suited for the growth of apple farming. Soil having pH of 5.5-6.5 is good for its cultivation. Soil having good drainage system is ideal for its farming.

Starking red and Rich-a-red are the delicious group varieties which are grown in Himachal Pradesh.

Spur type varieties such as Starkrimson, Oregon spur, Red chief, Well Spur, Silver Spur, Harde Spur, Sturde Spur, Red Spur, Miller’s and Bright-N-Early are grown.

New standard varieties: Vance Delicious, Skyline Supreme, Top Red and Hardeman.

Early maturing varieties: EC 33683 Coop-12, Anna, Early Mclntosh and Redfree. Its harvesting is done in end of June.

Scab resistant varieties: Coop-12 and Coop-13.  

For low or mid hilly areas: Michal Schloait and Anna. These are low chilling varieties.

Promising varieties:

Schlomit, Michal, Golden Spur, Red Chief, Top Red, Red Spur, Granny Smith, Rich-a-red, Red Delicious, Starking Delicious, Starkrimson and Mollies Delicious are the promising varieties which are grown in Himachal Pradesh. 

Other state varieties:

Early sown varieties: Michal, Mollies, Maayan, Anna, Delicious and Shlomit.

Mid sown varieties: Royal Delicious, Red Chief, Red Spur, Red Delicious, Rich-a-Red and Citlodh Apple-1.

Late sown varieties: Lal Ambri, Sunheri and Top Red.
 

For apple farming, well prepared land is required.

Time of sowing:
January and February months are an optimum time for apple planting.

Spacing:
In nursery, sowing is done in rows 10 cm apart with the spacing of 5 cm between the seeds. At time of planting, for medium sized varieties use spacing of 4m X 5m or 4m X 6m for tree plantation. For dwarf varieties use spacing of 2.5 X 4.0m and for extra dwarf varieties, use spacing of 3.0m X 0.90m.

Sowing depth:
In nursery, seed sowing depth is 2-3 cm.

Method of sowing:
•    Contour method
•    Hexagonal
•    Square system
 

Seed rate:
For Medium sized varieties, use 166-200 trees/acre.
For Dwarf varieties, use 350-400 trees/acre.
For Extra dwarf varieties, use more than 1300 trees/ acre.
 

Propagation is mainly done by tongue grafting and budding methods.

Prepare pits of size 1m X 1m X 1m in the month of October-November. In each pit, add FYM@30-40kg, SSP@500gm and Malathion dust@50gm and mix well. After one month of pit digging, planting is done. After planting, immediate irrigation is required.

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Before planting, add FYM@30-40kg, SSP@500gm and Malathion dust@50gm in each pit. Add fertilizer dose of N:P:K@70:35:70 gram/tree/year and mix well. As the age of tree increases, multiplied the fertilizer dose with the age of the tree.  For example, when the tree reaches 10 years of age, then application of fertilizer dose should be N:P:K@700:350:700 gram/tree/year.

For proper development and good quality of apples, training and pruning on proper time is required. Training of tree depends on growth of the rootstocks. Mainly “modified central leader system” is used for training to receive proper light. For mid hill areas, “Spindle bush system” is used.

To control the weeds, mulching and intercultural operations are done. In intercultural operations, application of Glyphosate@300ml/acre or Paraquat@0.5% is used as post emergence herbicide to destroy the weeds for 4-5 months and in mulching, oak leaves or dry grass are used for conserving moisture in the soil.

• Pest and their control:

Wooly apple aphid: Firstly the pest attacks the underground roots. As a result swelling occurs and ultimately the whole plant dies. The pest generally not attacks in December and January month.

If infestation is observed then spraying of insecticides such as Carbaryl @30gm/15ltr is done in October- November month to prevent from aphids. During summer and spring season, Dimethoate @15ml/10ltr is mixed with soil to get rid of aphids.
 

Apple scab: The disease mainly affects the leaves and fruits. The symptoms are twisted leaves and circular black spots on upper surface.

Treatment: To control this disease spray with M-45@50gm/15ltr of water.

Stem borer:  The pest affect the plant by sucking the sap from branches and twigs. As a result, nursery plants become weak and ultimately die.

If infestation is observed then spraying of Diazinon or methyl parathion @0.05% is done. Fumigation can also be done with HCN gas or methyl bromide to protect crop from scale pest.
 

Blossom thrips: It is black or yellowish brown color thrips which punctures and suck the sap of the flowers.

Thrips can be controlled by Carbosulphan @1ml/liter or Thiamethoxam@1gram/liter of water.
 

• Diseae amd their control:

Apple bitter rot: Caused by Glomerella cingulata. It causes small and brown color sunken spots on fruits.

Treatment: To control this disease spray with Z-78@50gm/15ltr of water.
 

Black rot: Symptoms are seen mainly in spring season and the symptoms are circular lesions on the upper surface of leaves. The disease results in rotting of fruits.

Treatment: To control this disease spray with M-45@50gm/15ltr of water.
 

Root rot: The symptoms are dark color and wet rot is seen at the base of the trunk. The leaves start falling and fruits start shriveling. The infected tree ultimately dies off.

Treatment: To control this disease spray with Aliete80WP@2.5gm/1ltr of water.
 

Fruit drop: Spraying of NAA @10ppm (Planofix @1ml in 4.5ltr of water) is done before the expected fruit drop will help to control fruit dropping.

From 8th year, apple tree starts bearing fruits. From 8th -17th year, apple productivity will increase every year and after 17th -30th year, production will remain constant. After 30th year, elevation in productivity of apple begins. Harvesting is mainly done after full ripening of fruit.

After harvesting, apples are placed for pre cooling before packing. After pre cooling, grading is done. After grading, apples are stored in cold storage at a temperature of 1.1o- 0oC having 85-90% relative humidity. Fruits are packed in wooden boxes for long distance transportation and for sale purpose in local markets.