FRUIT SET, SEED SET AND FRUIT WEIGHT IN APPLE AS INFLUENCED BY EMASCULATION, SELF-POLLINATION AND CROSS-POLLINATION

In this study we were questioning if self-pollination can assure an acceptable fruit set and quality (fruit weight) compared to cross-pollination.
We intended also to evaluate the impact of seeds on fruit set and fruit weight.
Fruit set, seed set and fruit weight from self-pollinated flowers, cross-pollinated flowers and free pollinated flowers were compared.
Self-pollination always resulted in a lower fruit set, but only in a few cases the remaining fruit set was too low to garantee a normal yield.
Seed set was also lower after self pollination, although no general relation with fruit set could be found.
Free self-pollination gave a higher fruit set then when the self pollen was applied by hand.
Fruit weight after self-pollination was comparable or lower then after cross-pollination.
In general, differences in fruit weight between the years were very pronounced, even more so than differences between pollinizers, and were not in proportion to the fruit set.
Emasculation, a prerequisite to avoid contamination of own pollen, always caused a distinct decrease in fruit set, but only in a few cases this reduction was unacceptable.
Emasculation had no or only little effect on seed set.

II Workshop on Pollination

K. De Witte, J. Vercammen, G. van Daele, J. Keulemans

Malus domestica (Bork.)

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1996.423.23