Bio Fruit Advies Marc Trapman

Apples are Great

Introduction
apple, fruit of the genus Malus (about 25

species) belonging to the family Rosaceae, the most widely cultivated tree fruit. The apple is one of the pome (fleshy) fruits, in which the ripened ovary and surrounding tissue both become fleshy and edible. The apple flower of most varieties requires cross-pollination for fertilization. Apples at harvest, though varying widely in size, shape, colour, and acidity, depending upon cultures (variety) and environmental character, are, nevertheless, usually roundish, 50100 mm (24 inches) in diameter, and some shade of red or yellow in colour.

Classification

Apple A typical apple Scientific classification

Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Maloideae or Spiraeoideae Tribe: Maleae Genus: Malus Species: M. domestica Binomial name Malus domestica Borkh.

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Varieties of Apples
Macoun Apple: Small to medium-sized, wine red in color, crisp, juicy, sweet-tart, allpurpose but best for hand-eating, a U.S. East coast favorite. McIntosh Apple: Medium-sized, crisp, tartsweet, bright red skin sometimes tinged with green, all-purpose but doesn't hold up to lengthy cooking, discovered in the late 1700's by Canadian John McIntosh, available September through March. Northern Spy Apple: Large, sweet-tart apple, red skin with yellow streaking, all-purpose, available October through March, also called spy apple.

Varieties of Apples
Stayman Apple: Striped, dull red color, off-white flesh, juicy, crisp, tart, good for hand-eating and cooking, available from October to April. Winesap Apple: Juicy, tart, crisp yellowish flesh with a deep red skin, all-purpose, stores well, available from November through May. Refrigerated storage time: 220 days.

Varieties of Apples
York Imperial Apple: Medium to large in size, firm flesh, tartly sweet, red with yellowish streaks, off-white flesh, excellent for cooking whole as it keeps its shape, available October through April.

Importance of apple
Delicious and crunchy apple is one of the popular fruit that

contain an impressive list of essential nutrients, which are required for normal growth and development and overall nutritional well-being. Apples are low in calories; contain no saturated fats or cholesterol, but rich in dietary fiber which helps prevent absorption of dietary LDL cholesterol in the gut. The dietary fibers also help protect the mucous membrane of the colon from exposure to toxic substances by binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon. Apple fruit contains good quantities of vitamin-C and beta carotene. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, proinflammatory free radicals from the body. Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients flavonoids and polyphenols. The important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Apples are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. These compounds help body protect from deleterious effects of free radicals.

Apple fruit nutrition facts

Delicious and crunchy apple fruit is one of the

most popular fruit favored by health conscious, fitness freaks who believe in health is wealth. This wonderful fruit jam-packed with rich phytonutrients that in the true sense are indispensable for optimal health. The antioxidants in apple have many health promoting and disease prevention properties; thus justifying the adage an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Health benefits of apple

Apples are rich in antioxidant phyto-nutrients

flavonoids and polyphenols. The important flavonoids in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2. Apples are also good in tartaric acid that gives tart flavor to them. These compounds help body protect from deleterious effects of free radicals. In addition, apple fruit is a good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, thiamin and pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Together these vitamins help as cofactors for ezymes in metabolism as well as in various synthetic functions inside the body. Apple also contains small amount of minerals like potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure; thus

Selection and Storage

Fresh apples are readily available in the stores all

around the season. Choose fresh, bright, firm textured apples with rich flavor. Avoid fruits with pressure marks over their surface as they indicate underlying mottled of pulp. Fresh apples can be kept at room temperature for few days and stored in refrigerator for two to three weeks. Wash them in clean running cold water before use to remove any surface dust and pesticide/fungicide residues.

Planting and Growing the Orchard

APPLE ORCHARD

Planning the Planting

High value/high return so plant on best soil

Soil must be well drained, year round

Air drainage, do not plant in valley or low area.

FREEZE, FREEZE, FREEZE

Planning the Apple Cultivars

Many cultivars available for apples

Consider time of ripening

1) Marketing 2) Harvest and labor requirements Apple: should plant 10-30 varieties 6000 named apple varieties

Planning the Apple Cultivars

Early season: 20% (mid July-August)

Gala, Pristine, Zestar, Ginger Gold Mid season: 30% (September) Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Jonathan, Crimson Crisp Late season: 50% (October) Fugi, Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Suncrisp, Gold Rush, Granny Smith

Planning the Planting

Rootstocks: Critically important, controls tree size

Dwarf rootstock: B.9=Bud.9

Dwarf rootstock will require post or trellis system

for support. Roots are too small to support trees.

Planning the Planting

Row width: 15-18 feet, depending on tractor

In row trees spacing: 8-10 feet

250-350 trees per acre 2-4 bushels per tree 300 trees would provide 600-1200 bu

Maintaining the Orchard

Flowering, pollination, and thinning

Honey bees, needed for pollination Pruning and tree training Prune in January-March, limb spacers for branch angles (want 90 degree angle) Pest and disease management Spray schedule is critical: when, what

Tree Growth and Fruit Buds

Pollination Requirements of Trees

Apple: self sterile (Golden Delicious may be

partially self fertile) need 2 varieties

Apple Fruit Cluster

Fruit Set

Fruit Drop

Fruit Thinning
Chemical thinning is risky

If practical thin by hand

Hand thinning after fruit drop-about diameter Apple: thin to 6-8 between fruit Peach: thin to 8-10 between fruit

Ideal Tree Shape

Wide bottom

Narrow top
Branches well spaced Good branch angles Post for tree support

Branch Spreaders for Angles

Types of Pruning Cuts

Heading cuts

Thinning cuts

Apple Pruning Technique

When to Harvest
Calendar date

Starch test
Fruit color Firmness Fruit falls from tree Ethylene concentration Taste the apple: best method

When to Harvest
Calendar date

Starch test
Fruit color Firmness Fruit falls from tree Ethylene concentration Taste the apple: best method

After Harvest
Still respiring

Still using up energy

Still requires oxygen Aim to reduce respiration, but not stop it. Most common method: cool storage Sort apples before storing, remove damaged

apples.

Ethylene
Ripening hormone

Autocatalytic (snowball effect)

Produced by ripening fruit Produced by damaged fruit One rotting apple will produce enough to cause

all other apples to over ripen and rot

Harvest Considerations
Harvest window is limited

Arrange harvest labor in advance

Fruit is perishable Goal is to present customer with premium product Dont wait until harvest to plan your marketing:

local newspaper.

APPLE DISEASES
Apple blossom weevil

Apple sawfly Codling moth

Apple scab

Organic inputs are vital

Both cause cankers on apple wood

Both cause fruit to rot

white rot black rot white rot

black rot

white rot

Only black rot causes a leaf spot

Black Rot

frogeye leafspot

Weed control

The Best Time to apply Manure

When to Apply Manure

Apply 1 to 2 inches of well rotted-manure in March while the tree is still dormant and again in July. You should wait until the year after planting to start fertilizing. If you live in a warmer region with mild winters and little danger of frost---zones 9 or 10 and up---you can apply manure three times a year: in March, July and September. In cold regions, applying manure in the fall encourages tender growth that can be damaged by freezing temperatures.

The Best Time to apply Manure

How to Apply Manure

Remove any mulch your have under your apple trees. Make sure the mulch is placed outside the drip line before you add the manure. Apply the manure under the canopy and spread to the drip line. Make sure you leave 6 to 7 inches between the well-rotted manure and the trunk of your tree as the manure could burn the tree trunk. The manure must be in contact with the soil. The apple tree's roots only go to the drip line of the tree---spreading the manure outside of the drip line will make it unavailable to your tree. If the wellrotted manure is more than 2 inches deep, it could possibly smother or damage roots close to the surface of the soil.

The Best Time to apply Manure

How to Apply Manure

Remove any mulch your have under your apple trees. Make sure the mulch is placed outside the drip line before you add the manure. Apply the manure under the canopy and spread to the drip line. Make sure you leave 6 to 7 inches between the well-rotted manure and the trunk of your tree as the manure could burn the tree trunk. The manure must be in contact with the soil. The apple tree's roots only go to the drip line of the tree---spreading the manure outside of the drip line will make it unavailable to your tree. If the wellrotted manure is more than 2 inches deep, it could possibly smother or damage roots close to the surface of the soil.

Refrigerated storage of apples