Effect of irrigation time on reproductive parameters of apple

Anelia Zdravkova

Abstract: The investigation was carried during the period 2008-2010 at the Institute of Agriculture – Kyustendil, Bulgaria with apple cultivars Prima, Florina and Erwin Baur grafted on clonal rootstock MM 106. The trees grown in Chromic Luvisols and planted at 4.5 x 2.5 m. 100% ET drip irrigation treatment was applied in three timing variants (T1 – June-September (control), V1 – June-August, V2 – July-September). V1 and V2 treatments saved irrigation water 11.1% and 18.3% respectively. Yield in the V1 and V2 treatments was unsignifcantly reduced. Average fruit weight of Erwin Baur apple was signifcantly higher in V1 irrigation treatments – above the control 20.4%. Irrigation treatments improved fruit quality of Florina apple.

Keywords: apple; average fruit weight; fruit quality; irrigation time; yield

Date published: 2017-08-09