Apple : Scarlet Gala, Red Fuji, Red Chief, Oregon Spur-II, Super Chief, Scarlet

Spur, Red Delicious, Coe Red Fuji, Vance Delicious, Golden Spur and Top Red
Apple : Clonal rootstocks M-7 and MM-106 for irrigated conditions. MM-111
for drought conditions and M-793 for replantation.
Chip budding
Apple : End of February- Mid March
A yield as high as 76 t/ha has been obtained with a planting density of 2222 trees/ha
in Vance Delicious apple on MM 106 rootstock.
Highlights of the projects
1. The bud-wood bank of various apple cultivars viz. Gale Gala, Gibson Golden,
Golden Delicious, Red Chief, Granny Smith, Early Red One, Oregon Spur-II,
Scarlet Spur-II, Coe Red Fuji and Red Gravenstein has been established in
Department of Fruit Science, Regional Horticultural Research Station
Mashobra (Shimla), Regional Horticultural Research Station Bajaura (Kullu).
The elite planting material is being produced each year for distribution to the
orchardist of apple growing states of India.
2. Stionic combinations of cultivar Scarlet Gala on EMLA-7 rootstock and Red
Fuji on EMLA-111 performed better ion fruit set and yield.
Vance Delicious worked on M-4, M-7, MM-106 and MM-111 reveled highest plant
height on MM-106 and fruit set on M-4 rootstock.
3. Impact of increase in temperature
In Mashobra (Shimla) area the impact of changing climate in the present
scenario was studied with respect to bloom dates of Delicious apple trees over a period of
last 23 years i.e. 1985-2008. It was observed that days taken from 1st January to full
bloom showed decline trend (Y=-0.8844X+115.87) with respect to reference year. The
slope of regression equations was 54.50 per cent indicating high sensitivity days taken from
1st January to full bloom stage with respect to increase in reference years. Thus, it indicates
that the bloom dates advanced significantly over the period of time.
Further, the study was carried out to determine the projected impact of unit increase
(0.6
o
C) Over the mean temperature 7.63
o
C on chill hours and chill unit accumulations
(Table 1).
Table 1: Projected impact of increase in mean temperature (7.63
o
C-DJF) on chill
unit accumulation.
Increase in Mean Chilling accumulation
temperature temperature
o C
0-7.2
o
C
(CH)
<7.2
o
C
(CH)
CU
0.6 8.23 923 1023 1142
1.2 8.83 860 953 1065
1.8 9.43 806 892 997
2.4 10.03 758 839 937
3.0 10.63 715 792 884
3.6 11.23 677 749 837
4.2 11.83 642 711 795
4.8 12.43 611 677 756
5.4 13.03 583 646 721
It was determined that increase in temperature by one unit (0.6
o
C), there would be 923
hours (0-7.2
o
C), 1020 hours (<7.2
o
C) 1142 chill unit accumulation. However the increase in
base temperature by 5 units i.e. mean temperature of 10.63
o
C during DJF months will
contributed only 715 hours (0-7.2
o
C), 792 (<7.2
o
C) and 884 chill units leading to lack of
chilling requirement under such projected temperature.
In Kullu and Mandi and locations the winters were warm and dry. The chilling
requirement was not completed. Highly erratic flowering was recorded in apple. In most of
the apple growing areas pollinizers Golden Delicious, Red Gold, Tydman's Early Worcester
and Gala flowered well before flowering of Delicious group of apple. After discussing with
farmers it was observed only Black-Ben Davis flowerd simultaneously with Delicious apples.
In Delicious apples highly uneven flowering was recorded. Some buds remained dormant
and other showed full blossom. Poor fruit set was observed. Many of the apple belts were
also damaged by hail storms.
4. Evaluation of low chilling cultivar of apple for sub-temperate zone
Low chilling varieties of apple Viz. Mollie's Delicious and Anna grafted on M-9 rootstock
have been planted at Dhaban (Balh valley) located at an elevation of 950 m above mean
sea level Mollie's Delicious on M-9 gave 15 Kg fruit per tree during 2008. Heavy fruit set has
been observed during 2009 and thinning has been done to improve fruit size in Mollie's
Delicious. Fruit set in Anna is normal.
5. Integrated nutrient management system for sustainable apple production
Studies on the development of integrated nutrient management in apple were
conducted during 2008 with different combination of inorganic fertilizers (CAN, SSP
and MOP), manures and fertilizers. The results obtained from the study revealed the
maximum vegetative growth and fruit yield were obtained from the application of
80% of the recommended dose of NPK supplemented with 25 kg of vermicompost
(Ujjawal Ujala) and 60 gm of VAM per tree.
The maximum plant nutrient content mainly NPK were also observed with the
application of 80% of the recommended dose of NPK which were also supplemented
with 25 kg of vermicompost (Ujjwal Ujala) and 60 gm of VAM per tree. Soil
properties Viz., soil pH, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium also
showed similar trends as in the case of plant nutrients.
So, the initial field investigation concluded that the substitution of inorganic sources
of NP and K can be possible up to the extent of 20 per cent with vermicompost and
biofertiliozer to ensure the continuous supply of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
content to the soil. Further the dose of 80 % NPK supplemented with 25 kg of
vermicompost and 60 gm of VAM per tree was found beneficial for increasing the
productivity of apple crop.
Drip irrigation at 80 Etc and the 2/3rd of the recommended dose of NPK in
fertigation in Red Fuji and Scarlet Gala cultivars resulted as best treatment with respect to
vegetative growth, yield, quality, fertilizer and water use efficiency.
6. Pest management
Effect of weather parameters on population dynamics of European Red Mite,
Panonychus ulmi was correlated with mean temperature, relative humidity and
cumulative rain fall. Data indicated that winter eggs hatched by the end of March
coinciding with pink bud stage (12
o
C, 48 %) and summer eggs were observed in the
2nd week of April. Peak population was recorded by the end of August when mean
temperature was 18
o
C and relative humidity was 73 per cent and cumulative rainfall
was 40.8 mm. Mite population indicated positive correlation with temperature and
humidity, while it was negative with rainfall.
Effect of different concentration of HMO (0.75%, 1% and 1.5%, 0) ie. Rilso, Orchol-
13, Mak all season, HP summer oil were evaluated against eggs (both summer and
winter), immature and adult stages of European Red mite. It was recorded that
HMOs were more effective at 1.5 per cent level. Among various oils Rilso was more
effective followed by Mak all season, Orchol-13, HP summer oil after 21 days of
application.
A trial was conducted at two different sites at Regional Horticultural Reseach Station,
Mashobra to study their effect of new product Bio-prahar and effect was compared
with other insecticides i.e. Marshal, Metasystox. Mortality data was recorded after
the interval of 10 days. Data showed 100 per cent mortality where marshal was
applied followed by Metasystox (98%), while Bio-prahar shoed least mortality (50-
60%) after 30 days of application.
New thripicide calypso and marshal was evaluated against apple blossom thrips and
compared with already recommended chlorophryphos (0.02%). Results indicated
that maximum kill of thrips was observed with Calypso (95-98%) followed by durmet
(80-85%). Marshal did not prove effective and provided 60-65 % control of apple
blossom thrips.
7. Development of techniques to overcome delayed and erratic bud break
To develop the techniques for the supplementation of chilling requirement of
apple, a trial was conducted to study the effect of Dormex (1%) and Horticultural Mineral
Oil (HMO @ 2% & 4%).Three apple cultivars Viz. Starking Delicious, Golden Delicious and
Red Gold were taken for study. The spurs of these cultivars were collected at at the
accumulation of 300, 600, 900 and 1200 chill unit under the field conditions.
It was observed that the treated spurs at 300 CU were early to sprout followed
by 600 CU 900 CU accumulations the study further revels that there was response of the
treatment. It clearly shows that the treatment 1.0% Dormex + 2.0 % HMO treatment
should be made to the apple trees in the localities where accumulations of required chill unit
is a problem.
8. Effect of herbozyme spray on fruit set, fruit yield and fruit size in apple
i) The herbozyme sprayed at 20 ml/L at pink bud and petal fall stages was
observed better as compared to other treatments.
II) When herbozyme is applied at pink bud and petal fall and pea size stage,
the dose of 2.0 ml/L was observed better in comparison
to rest of the treatments.
9. Spray of 'Sitofex (Forchlorfenuron) for enhancing the apple production
The 7 ml dose of Sitofex per litre of water was observed superior in increasing
fruit set, yield and other physico-chemical parameters of Vance Delicious over control.
10. To update knowledge and skills of orchardist
Regional Horticutural Research Station, Bajaura, (Kullu)
1. One day field camp : 5
2. Three day field camp : 3
Regional Horticutural Research Station, Mashobra (Shimla)
1. Five day field camp : 1