2. Botanical description

A small to medium size tree, up to 4-6m high;tree size depends on the rootstock, variety and pruning method. The leaves are dark green and elliptic in shape.The blossoms grow in clusters of 5 blossoms that grow on spurs and branches – white flowers that change their color to pink. The  “king”flower opens first,creating the large typical fruit. Normally all the other blossoms are removed.Most varieties require pollination, which is carried out by bees.In varieties with dwarfed rootstocks, fruit appears after two years,while in normal varieties,fruit appear after 3-5 years.

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3. Varieties

The spur-type varieties are prolific and commercial.In the USA,10 main
varieties compose 90%of production. These varieties are:
Empire,Gala ,Rome ,Red Delicious ,Granny Smith ,Jonathan ,Fuji Golden Delicious ,Idared ,McIntosh, China – the biggest global producer. Washington State – biggest US producer.

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4. Crop climate conditions

The apple acclimatizes to most climates. The best conditions exist between laterals 35 °-50 ° north and south of the equator.Cold units – apples require 1,000- 1,600 cold units (with the exception of the Ana variety, which requires very few cold units)and 120-180 days without frost. The best quality is attained where days are warm, nights are cold and there is maximum radiation. Apples are resistant to frost down to - 40 °C.Blossoms and fruit-set will suffer damage at -2.2 °C – -3.3 °C.Apples blossom late in comparison to other deciduous crops, so there is less danger of frost, although in certain varieties and regions, where there is greater danger of frost,a frost protection system is necessary.

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5. Leading apple growing countries

Country	Planted area (ha)	Production (tons)	Yield (T/ha)
China	1,939,000	19,250,000	9,930
USA	162,600	3,867,000	23,790
Ukraine	187,400	534,000	2,850
India	250,000	1,420,000	5,680
Poland	168,500	2,168,000	12,870
Turkey	108,600	2,200,000	20,260
Russia	435,000	1,900,000	4,370
Iran	149,000	2,334,000	15,660
France	78,000	2,478,000	31,770
Italy	60,856	1,944,000	31,950

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6. Growing season

Blossoming: April-May in the northern hemisphere and the corresponding months in the southern hemisphere, the main growth stops in July. Cell division ceases three weeks after fruit-set. Fruit growth is cell growth, therefore it is necessary to maintain conducive moisture and fertilizer conditions throughout the season, in order to attain good quantity and quality yields.

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7. Rootstock

There are three groups of rootstock varieties: Malling (the lowest at 0.27m height), Mulling Merton (1.3-2m height), and Seedling (normally local) (6-10m height). The most common rootstock in dense orchards is M.9,and for medium varieties MM.16.

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8. Soil
Optimal pH is 6.5. Medium, well-drained soils are preferable.

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9. Nursery
it is common to graft saplings in the nursery, and plant them during dormancy. Saplings are planted with roots exposed, and not in bags. The rootstock is grown in “mother nurseries”. Sapling preparation takes at least two years.

10. Tree treatments
Pruning is done main during the winter, but during the summer red varieties are also pruned a month before harvesting, to improve radiation through the  foliage. In high-density orchards – tree training is "central leaden" slender spindle.

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11. Harvest
In early varieties – 100 days after full blossoming; in late
varieties – 180-210 days after full blossoming.

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12. Tree spacing
In medium sized varieties,trees are planted 4x5 meters or 4x6 m,i.e. 400-500 trees per hectare.In dwarf varieties: 2.5x4.0m – 1,000-2,300 trees per ha, and in extra dwarfed varieties:3x0.90m – 3,000 – 4,000 trees.

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13. Irrigation
Irrigation – in the northern hemisphere: irrigation coefficients – Kc General water requirements for cold-moderate climates: 250-400mm; for regions where there are summer rains – rainfalls exceeding 5mm must be taken into account.

Harvest dates	April	May	June	July	Aug.	Sep.	Oct.
10/6	0.2	0.5	0.75	0.55	0.4	0.2	0.2
20/8	0.2	0.35	0.5	0.7	0.7	0.5	0.2
10/9	0.2	0.3	0.45	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6
21/9	0.2	0.3	0.45	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.4

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14. Critical stages for water stress

in the soil in apple orchards Water stress during the critical stages could result in leaves dropping off,a reduction in yields and low income, mainly during the blossoming and fruit-set stages, fruit development stages,and also towards the end of the growing season.

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15. Irrigation management with water shortages in apple
orchards deficit irrigation
Following are several means of action that will enable deficit irrigation,while reducing economic damages to the orchard and to the yields.

a. Apportion water based on profitability of the sections, according to tree conditions and harvest dates, wherein the better sections will receive the necessary water quantities,at the expense of the poorer sections.

 

b. Water is apportioned according to expected yields in the orchard sections.Sections where a high yield is expected, will receive water at the expense of sections,where expected yield is low.

c. It is recommended to thin out the fruit,removing the small fruits and leaving the large fruits on the branches. This can be done manually or chemically.

d. Reduce the canopy by pruning,thus reducing the tree’s water consumption. When pruning apple trees and other pip fruits, it is important not to cut strong branches,as this causes excessive vegetative growth.

e. Green pruning is preferable,and in early varieties, summer pruning is  recommended.

f. The yield must be adapted to the allocated water allowance, and not the water to the yield.

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16. Recommended irrigation method
One lateral per row,distance between drippers: 0.5m. Discharge rate will be according to soil type,normally 1.6 - 2.3 l/h.Irrigation frequency will be according to soil type, every 1-3 days. The accepted equipment in mountainous
regions is Ram,and in level terrain Tiran,and UniRam for subsurface  drip. Irrigation rate:0.7-1.0 mm/h

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17. Fertilization application
Before planting:N – 200-300 kg/ha;400-600kg/ha K 2 O Young trees (1-4 years): N – 90 kg/ha |P – 30 kg/ha | K – 120 kg/ha Mature trees:N – 100 kg/ha |P – 60 kg/ha | K – 180 kg/ha

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18. Yields
Differ according to variety,climate and density of trees in the orchard. It is possible to receive yields of 60-80 tons/ ha, but to improve quality and fruit size,yields should be reduced to 30-40 tons/ha.

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19. Main diseases
Apple scab,powdery mildew,apple bitter rot, black rot, sooty mold, sclerotium root rot.

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20. Main pests
Cydia pomella, lyonetia clerkella, aphids, fruit flies (anastrepha), mites.

21. Frost protection
It is recommended to use SuperNet SR LR 4.0 mm/h for every tree,with a wetting diameter of 4m. Irrigation rate should be 3.5 mm/h on wetted area.

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